(arrt. 
 
 Vt\- r 
 
 The Work of 
 International House 
 
 By 
 
 John D. Rockefeller, Jr. 
 
 An address delivered at the Sunday Supper of 
 the Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan Club of the 
 City of New York, Sunday, November i8, 1923 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/workofinternatioOOrock_0 
 
THE WORK OF INTERNATIONAL HOUSE 
 
 By JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, Jr. 
 
 Whenever I pass up Riverside Drive, I invariably pause 
 near Grant’s Tomb to look at the new home of this Club. The 
 fine architecture and good lines of the building are most pleas- 
 ing to the eye; its simplicity and its size are symbols of the 
 Club’s lack of ostentation, its potentialities. The height of 
 the structure, dominating the surroundings, and its two towers, 
 suggest the far flung horizon of the Club’s influence. Then my 
 eye turns to Grant’s Tomb and rests upon the inscription on it 
 — “Let us have Peace.” And I wonder what inscription will 
 be placed over the door of International House. Will the 
 word “peace” be there ? We sometimes think of peace as 
 the summum bonum to be had at any cost. But who would 
 want a dishonorable peace ? Only as peace is just and worthy 
 is it to be desired. Surely the idea of peace will be in the 
 inscription, for no one thing is more generally longed for 
 throughout the world today than peace. Never was it more 
 eagerly desired. Peace is not a characteristic or quality that 
 can be acquired. It is a state, a condition, which is created 
 by or is the result of the existence of certain qualities or factors. 
 These factors are : 
 
 First, justice — even-handed, universal. Justice for the 
 high and the low, the rich and the poor, the wise and the 
 ignorant. In how many countries it seems to be true that the 
 poor do not get justice; not infrequently is this equally true 
 of the rich. Justice for all, justice irrespective of race, color 
 or creed. Justice is one of the prime requisites of a happy 
 human state. We owe justice to our fellow men regardless 
 of whether we know them or not, whether we like them, 
 whether we ever see them,- — irrespective of who or what they 
 may be. Justice is due as a matter of right, duty, wholly apart 
 from feeling and inclination; it is owed to an enemy as well 
 as to a friend. Nothing is more conducive to discontent and 
 bitterness and enmity than injustice. Where, therefore, justice 
 reigns, the causes of friction, of animosity, between men are 
 greatly reduced and peace is more likely to prevail. 
 
 But something more than justice is needed, if there is to 
 be peace. To justice must be added good will. Good will 
 implies kindness, tolerance, generosity and many other quali- 
 ties which will come to your minds, which temper justice, cold 
 
 3 
 
At present the membership of the Club consists of 82 1 students from 64 
 different lands studying in 52 colleges, universities, and professional schools of 
 greater New York. 
 
 China with 126 members heads the list of foreign countries represented in 
 the Club. Japan comes next with 66, Canada 60, Philippines 45. The names of 
 other countries are indicated in the above chart. 
 
 Excepting the United States, Canada has given the largest number of women 
 
 47, Japan 17, France 15, China 13, Norway ! 1, Finland 9, Russia 7. The 
 
 American women membership is 122. 
 
 The largest number of men comes from China 1 13, United States 68, Japan 
 
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 49, Philippines 39, Greece 16, Poland 14, Canada, Russia and India 13 each, 
 Sweden II. 
 
 Total number of women in the Club is 33 7 and men 484. 
 
 Grouping of members according to continents is as follows; Asia 280, North 
 America 25 1, Europe 233, South America 32, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific 
 Islands 1 4, Africa 1 1 . 
 
 The religions represented are Brahmanism, Buddhism, Christianity, Con- 
 fucianism, Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Mohammedism, Zoroastrianism. Of the 
 
 Christian churches the following are represented: Catholic, Christian Science, 
 
 Greek Orthodox, Gregorian, Nestorian, Protestant and Quaker. 
 
and stern, and make it warm and human. Good will is like 
 oil poured upon the troubled waters. It lubricates the rela- 
 tions of human life and prevents the little frictions which are 
 so easily exaggerated and grow into causes of dislike and 
 enmity. Where justice and good will exist, peace is more apt 
 to be found. 
 
 Still another quality is essential to peace, and that is 
 brotherhood. It is true that brothers sometimes quarrel, as 
 our Civil War testified; sometimes they do not agree, they are 
 not always at peace ; but after all, blood is thicker than water. 
 I well remember in my boyhood days being frequently in a 
 family where there were eight children. And far be it from 
 me to say that they did not often quarrel, and quarrel bitterly. 
 But let an outsider say anything derogatory to a member of 
 that family, and immediately the whole family was up in arms 
 to protect the fame and reputation of the one assailed. 
 
 But brotherhood is a composite; it is made up of many 
 qualities. Brotherhood implies understanding, loyalty, love, 
 unselfishness, tolerance, helpfulness, and as we think over the 
 relation of brotherhood we realize that it also includes justice 
 and good will. Where, then, these three qualities, justice, 
 good will and brotherhood, prevail, it follows as a natural 
 result that peace must exist; it cannot be otherwise. And since 
 brotherhood includes justice and good will, where brother- 
 hood prevails, peace must prevail. Therefore, over the door 
 of International House I would write these words, so simple 
 but how pregnant with meaning : THAT BROTHERHOOD 
 MAY PREVAIL. 
 
 Prevail where — in the United States ? In America ? 
 But this, we must remember, is International House, the home 
 of all nations; hence the meaning is clearly that INTER- 
 NATIONAL brotherhood may prevail. That Brotherhood 
 may prevail THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. International 
 House, the home of all nations, rising majestically above the 
 greatest city in the world, standing for the brotherhood of 
 man and the fatherhood of God, shining forth as a beacon 
 light to guide humanity into the safe harbor of world brother- 
 hood, proclaiming to mankind the gospel of peace on earth 
 and good will toward men. 
 
 This, then, is my conception of the work of International 
 House; this is the wisdom which has led me to join hands with 
 
 6 
 
you that the wonderful dream for the Cosmopolitan Club 
 which Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds have had these many years 
 might be realized. Truly, this is a great privilege, a great 
 opportunity, a great duty, that has come to us. 
 
 How shall the work of International House be carried 
 out ? I know of but one way — by each one of us living each 
 day in the spirit of brotherhood. Living. We may listen as 
 people talk to us, as ministers preach to us, as teachers teach 
 us, but much more powerful than words is example. So is 
 every one who comes through the doors of International 
 House, if every one who is now a member of this Club, or 
 may be as the years go by, if everyone who avails of the 
 privileges of the Club exemplifies brotherhood in the daily 
 life, what a powerful influence will thus be exerted, not only 
 in the individual life, but in the life of the community, of the 
 home land to which you will all some day return, and of the 
 world. 
 
 Brotherhood is one of the closest and finest relations of 
 life. Let me enumerate again the qualities which go to make 
 it up. First of all there is justice — justice to all in things 
 little and great, to the weak and the downtrodden as well as 
 to our equals and superiors. Justice in thought, in act, in 
 word, for how often we do injustice in thought even if not 
 in act or in word. 
 
 Secondly, good will. Good will towards all men, what- 
 ever their attitude towards us. How contagious is a smile. 
 How quickly a happy face spreads sunshine and drives away 
 the clouds. How easy it is to say a kind word, and how far 
 a kind act goes. 
 
 The third quality is understanding. What a vast amount 
 of life’s bitterness and enmity results from a lack of under- 
 standing, just because we do not try to put ourselves in the 
 other person’s place, to get his point of view, to acquaint our- 
 selves with his problems, to comprehend his motives. If you 
 will pardon a personal reference, may I illustrate this point by 
 speaking of an incident which occurred during the days of the 
 war. It was my privilege on many occasions to speak to the 
 soldiers in the training camps, and after speaking I was always 
 glad to shake hands with any men who cared to give me the 
 opportunity. One night as I stood in a group of men talking 
 
 7 
 
THE INTERNATIONAL 
 
 Composed of two representatives each from 70 countries, giving it 
 
 discussion of international affairs. Organized under the auspices o 
 
 iTUD 
 
 listinc 
 Ae In 
 
STUDENT ASSEMBLY 
 
 listinction of being the most representative body in the world for the 
 :he Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan Club of the City of New York. 
 
and shaking hands, an Italian in khaki came to the Y. M. C. A. 
 secretary and said, “Which is this man Rockefeller ?” The 
 secretary replied, “That is he, down there in the group of 
 men.” Whereupon the Italian soldier walked around the 
 room outside of the group; he stopped and he watched and 
 he listened; and then coming back to the secretary, he said, 
 in the vernacular of the camp, “Aw, quit your kiddin’. That’s 
 not him. Which is he ?” And the secretary said, “Yes, that 
 is he.” “Why,” said the Italian, “that’s not a devil, that’s a 
 man.” He had never seen me; he had heard bitter things 
 about the Rockefellers, he believed them; and then when he 
 saw I was just a man like himself, struggling, trying, seeking 
 to do right, he no longer believed what he had heard, but 
 what he saw; he understood. 
 
 The fourth quality is loyalty. How the heart of the Man 
 of Nazareth must have been rent when Judas, one of the 
 twelve, betrayed Him ; when Peter, loyal Peter, denied Him. 
 What a splendid quality is loyalty — the man that you can count 
 on, the friend that you know will stand by you no matter what 
 comes. I remember a letter written by a father to his son, 
 which ran in its closing phrases something like this : “My son, 
 whatever you do, whatever trouble you get into, if you will 
 always come to me and tell me the truth, whether you are 
 right or wrong, I will stand by you to the limit. ” Who does 
 not admire and crave loyalty? 
 
 Then, fifthly, there is love; brotherly love — not a weak, 
 sentimental quality, but strong and virile; a quality not to be 
 ashamed of, but to be proud of. Love is the greatest thing 
 in the world. Where there is love there cannot be strife, 
 there cannot be bitterness, there cannot be warfare. Love 
 implies confidence, faith, trust. Love is the essence of true 
 religion, for God is love. If we truly love God it follows as 
 the day the night that we will love our brother men. 
 
 The sixth attribute is unselfishness — putting the other 
 man’s interests first; doing the kind thing for your brother 
 whether it means a sacrifice or not; forgetting oneself, help- 
 ing the other person, following the Golden Rule. 
 
 Seventh, tolerance. Oh, how much we all need that 
 quality, of which we see so little in these days. How quick 
 we are to pass judgment, to defame on hearsay one whom 
 
 10 
 
we have never seen ; to believe ill of someone we see every 
 day because we do not know the facts. How unkind, how 
 cruel that is. Why not give the other person the benefit of 
 the doubt; say nothing if we cannot say something kind. Yes, 
 tolerance helps mightily to make life happy and bright and 
 hopeful. 
 
 Finally, helpfulness — -service. If love is the greatest 
 thing in the world, surely helpfulness or service is the next 
 greatest thing. Too often people try to make themselves be- 
 lieve that happiness comes from having, from getting, from 
 possessing. But real happiness comes from giving, from doing 
 for others, from helping our fellows. 
 
 These, then, are the qualities which combine to make up 
 brotherhood. Each year some of you will be returning to 
 your home land, and others will take the places here which 
 you vacate. Great will be your value to the countries whence 
 you came, which in many instances sent you forth to perfect 
 yourselves in some branch of human knowledge, that you 
 might be better fitted for large responsibilities and positions 
 of leadership at home. But infinitely greater will be your in- 
 fluence for good if you go back to the home land to live and 
 to propagate this spirit of human brotherhood. As weary 
 travelers wend their way up the mountain side, whether they 
 come from the north or the south, from the east or from the 
 west, gradually, inevitably, their paths come closer together. 
 For, as has so beautifully been said, “All paths meet on the 
 mountain top.” 
 
 So as I follow my vision of International House into the 
 far distant future, this is what I see: I see the mission of 
 International House, “That Brotherhood May Prevail,” extend- 
 ing each year in ever widening circles; I see other such houses 
 springing up in the international student communities of the 
 world, and all these centres joining hands with the various 
 endeavors which are aiming to promote brotherhood; and I 
 see the tide of brotherhood rising slowly, steadily, higher and 
 higher, until at length all nations meet on the mountain top of 
 world brotherhood, recognizing the Eternal Spirit which all 
 worship, as their common Father. 
 
 11 
 
The office of the Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan Club 
 located heretofore at 2929 Broadway was moved 
 May 1st to the new building. Mail should be ad- 
 dressed to “International House, Riverside Drive, 
 New York.” 
 
 Telephone, Morningside 8201 
 
 12