EDITORIAL : GOVERNMENT'S FINEST: VOLUNTEERS RESTORING NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS CAN DO WONDERS FOR ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEER SERVICE.

THE bipartisan push by President Clinton and retired Gen. Colin Powell to boost volunteerism nationwide to help the poor is a noble cause. Compassion and service are the cornerstones of America's greatness and richness as a nation.

No better proof of that exists than right here in the San Fernando Valley. Woven into the fabric of everyday Valley life are the thousands of people who hold bake sales for schools, help out in hospitals, coach Little League or paint over graffiti and pickup trash in neighborhoods.

These unsung heroes are the heart and soul of the Valley. They add immeasurably to the area's uniqueness and vibrant character by bridging the breach left by government's inability to protect and serve all of its citizens all the time.

So while the call for more volunteers to pick up where government leaves off is worthy, the concern is how well it will work.

The goal of the summit organizers is to give at least 2 million children by the year 2000 a better future. As described by Powell, the idea is to rescue children who are ``disengaged from American life.'' Mentors will work with them, one-on-one, to motivate them to succeed in school and to keep them off drugs and off the streets.

Volunteerism is great, as long as it lasts. If Clinton truly believes in this new cause, if he wants it to become a movement, not just the government's gimmick du jour, his challenge is to keep the masses motivated.

We suggest that elected officials from Clinton on down to the power brokers in City Hall start by restoring power to people in their neighborhoods.

By necessity, making government more local requires residents to do many community jobs for themselves, as Alex de Tocqueville pointed out in the 1830s. Giving local residents a voice and a way to make a difference is the greatest service the government can provide and the best way to swell the ranks of volunteers.