THE OLDEST CLUB IN THE REALM.

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 16

THE OLDEST CLUB IN THE REALM.

Lord Burnham, at the City of London Tradesmen's Cub, founded in 1721:— "I believe that London is. bound to remain the centre of the world's commerce and the world.'s finance,', in'spite of the competition of the, United States. (Cheers.) We have seen how. difficult it is to replace her, and I think, that we shall, perforce take, our : place again from- the very fact that;we buffer, so much riow in that in London we- practically bear the financial- responsibilities of-'the wholeoorf r Europe. VjTlie' 'club spirit' is pre-eminently' a.-British characteristic. Clubs- have been established 'elsewhere, but they have; never been quite like the British blubs., I am glad to think that we have retained the name arid title of 'tradesmen.' Why should we, tradesmen m the: City- of London— and I am-one of them—:be ashamed of our own description? (Cheers.) After all, it was tradesmen who. built .up the greatness of the"British \ Empire., So long,.as the club'spirit.'survives,, so long as we have the 'team spirit' in'all our, industries and in all the different grades "and conditions, of- our social ' being, things will .not! go badly in this country. If this spirit is' supplanted by the venom of class hatred,', if class is set against'class, and man against man, our glory will perish, and the British Empire will fall into the dust as • other . empires hav^ fallen before."