The Four-Way Test was written by Chicago Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor - RI President 1954-55 - during a business crisis in 1932 and adopted by Rotary International in January 1943. From time to time, we probably all have problems to live according to the four priciples, especially to the first one "Is it the Truth?".

Years before, Rotarian Harry Botsford seemed to have forseen our problem with these priciples and put them into perspective in his article, published in The Rotarian, June 1925, "We Lie Alike".

You will find Botsford's article in www.rotaryfirst100.org under "What's new" soon.

The following was published in The Rotarian, March 1925 - three months before Botsford's article:

Oh! If We Dared to Print the Truth!

Only a short time ago the editor of a paper in Anacostia grew tired of being called a liar, and announced that he would tell the truth in the future; and the next issue of the paper contained the following items:

"John Bonin, the laziest merchant in town, made a trip to Rockville, Monday."

"John Coyle, our groceryman, is doing a poor business. His store is dirty and dusty. How can he do much?"

"Rev. Sly preached last Sunday night on "'Charity.' The sermon was punk."

"Dave Smith died at his home here on Tuesday. The doctor gave it out as heart failure. Whisky killed him."

"Married Miss Sylvan Rhodes and James Collins, last Saturday at the Baptist parsonage, by Rev. J. Gordon. The bride is a very ordinary town girl, who doesn't know any more about cooking than a jack rabbit, and never helped her mother three days in her life. She is not a beauty by any means,and has a gait like a duck. The groom is an up to-date loafer. He has been living off the old folks at home all his life; and is not worth shucks. It will be a hard life."

Cleveland (Ohio) Reminder.