Man to be Heard

A solid, large-framed gentleman in a cutaway entrained from Manhattan for Chicago. This was John R. Mott, 61, General Secretary of the International Y. M. C. A., man with genius for organizing religion, man to be heard with attention. He was bound for a national conference of the organization which under his velvet-gloved hand of iron has carried Protestant Christ to all heathen corners of the globe, has consolidated faith where it already existed, 52 nations in all. He does not look his age, though he should after 38 years of the most strenuous exertion of the will.

In Chicago, urbanely, he heard plans for meeting an annual budget of $54,000,000. To a suggestive report on conditions in the Orient, already familiar to him, he listened imperturbed. "Because of the progress of the native movement in China and adjacent countries," said the report, "American leadership no longer is paramount there."* Presumably reference was made to the fact that the Asiatic "Y" has long been selfsupporting. Wealthy mandarins, Confucians, Buddhists contribute. Curtailment of Asiatic activity was recommended, and extension of program for South America, where "recent developments have opened opportunity."

Notable was a moment when announcement was made of an invitation to Secretary Mott to speak before the students of Loyola University (Catholic, S. J.). This is the first time that a Y. M. C. A. officer had been asked to address a Roman Catholic educational institution.* The Secretary expressed himself "delighted," forthwith canceled other engagements, went to Loyola, spoke. Said he: "It is a happy occasion . . . two great movements come together ... for discussion of common problems . .. everywhere youth is more and more reflecting the influence of Christ."

*Methodists convened at Manhattan were less calm, more specific, about a similar situation in their own Asiatic mission field. Speaking before the Men's Methodist Council, Religious Dean Edmund D. Soper, Duke University, waxed satirical, pessimistic. Said he: "China, Japan, India wonder why we who would teach them have slaughtered each other in thousands, why we refuse to hold all races equal in our countries, why we will not hear both sides of questions. . . . We ask ourselves what is next, and we have no next. We have shot our bolt."

*But His Grace, the Archbishop of San Francisco, Edward J. Hanna (Roman Catholic), was host recently at a luncheon held in a San Francisco convent, to Protestant and Jewish leaders of the city, on behalf of the city's Community Chest. Prominent religious leaders present included Rabbi Jacob Nieto, Bishop Edward L. Parsons of the Episcopal Church, Bishop Charles Wesley Burns of the Methodist Church and Chester Rowell, California progressive, former publisher of the Fresno (Calif.) Republican, all of whom spoke.

"We are doing this for God and for nothing on earth," said the renowned Archbishop.