WORLD GOODWILL

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 102, 2 May 1935, Page 7

WORLD GOODWILL

SOME ESSENTIALS.

NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING. ROTARY LEADER'S VIEWS. The eixth object of Rotary—the promotion of international goodwill and understanding —was discussed by Mr. Paul P. Harris, founder of the movement, in an interview to-day. It was felt, said Mr. Harris, that New Zealand had made a tremendous contribution to the movement, which had been started here in very favourable circumstances. Auckland, in particular, had been well represented. Such men as the late Sir George Fowlds and the late Mr. Charles Rhodes had been recognised among the leaders, not only in New Zealand, but also in the Rotary world. Their efforts and clear thinking had contributed a great deal towards the movement. Such men had been eminently qualified, both intellectually and spiritually, to do splendid foundation work, and such sponsoring of the movement had resulted in Rotary groups in the Dominion attaining a uniformly high standard. Mentioning that he had had the pleasure of entertaining many Rotary visitors, including a number of Aucklanders, in Chicago, Mr. Harris said that Mrs. Harris had been an Edinburgh girl, born and bred there, and that he and his wife had naturally made much of their connection with Britain and the Dominions. "We have probably had more visitors from New Zealand and Australia, in comparison with populations, than from any other two countries in the world," he said. ■» An Essential of Goodwill. Sir Norman Angell, who was recognised as one of Britain's foremost economists and thinkers along international lines, had stated, said Mr. Harris, that ho believed that goodwill must be based on understanding, if it was to be enduring. Goodwill not based on understanding was likely to be swept aside in the event of stress and strain. Such understanding had to be of a general charac-

ter. It could Tiot be a goodwill that was in the minds of merely the politicians and the diplomats. The people at the back of the politicians and the diplomats had also to bo better informed in the future than they had been in the past. There was a very natural tendency to belittle the importance of contributions made towards a better civilisation by other countries. A superiority complex was a thing which all nations had suffered from. There had been in the past a tendency to measure other nations by one's own yardstick. Such a tendency was a stumbling block to that understanding which was essential to the advancement of world goodwill. History in the past was vividly coloured by local enthusiasm and blind disregard of other peoples.

"We seem now to be entering into a different period," said Mr. Harris. "We are beginning to realise that other peoples have ideas and customs that we may well emulate. Joseph Conrad has stated that the great solvent of international misunderstanflings is travel. Certainly there can be nothing that is better calculated to pave the way to a better understanding of the fine qualities of other people than travel. I think the Anglo-Saxon people and the Dominions in particular have a wonderful opportunity of fostering a better understanding among nations."

"Wonderful Rallying Point." Referring to the works of Dickens and other great writers and those of famous composers, Mi - . Harris said that the fundamental tilings which, all believed in and loved afforded a wonderful rallying point about which they could centre their thoughts for a better/ understanding. It was easier, lie said, for the Dominions to understand the viewpoint of the United States than it was for England to do so. In the same way, the people of America could understand the viewpoint of the Dominions better than they could that of England. The Dominions stood in a sort of halfway position, between the extreme views of the British and those of Americans. They were the natural interpreters of the spirit of the one country to the spirit of the other country. From his own observations they had done so in the realms of Rotary, and had proved very helpful.

America, said Mr. Harris, experienced no difficulty in "getting on" with Canada. The countries lay side by side, they worked and played together, and their understanding between each other was, as nearly perfect as it was possible for it to be. The reason, of course, was that good will had followed in the wake of understanding. ''We know that there is nothing' pernicious about their aspirations, and they know the same about us," he said.

Knowledge From Reading. Stressing the opinion that it was possible for every Rotarian to be an ambassador of good will to other countries, Mr. Harris said that it was not necessary for such ambassadors to travel. From literature and in other ways a man could gain a good idea of the conceptions, ideals and problems of peoples of other countries. Some Hotariana were bettor placed than others for playing their part in that waj —those connected with the Press, broadcasting and education. If all were true to their responsibility the general level of understanding must inevitably be raised. There was a certain sort of technique in procedure that a Rotarian might follow, but the first thing to do was to school himself in the idea that all nations were a part of the family of nations and were all entitled to a position there. After having convinced themselves that that was true it should not be difficult for them to lind ways and means of making themselves ambassadors of good will and carrying that thought to others.