ROTARY CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 272, 16 November 1936, Page 8

ROTARY CLUB.

TO-DAY'S LUNCHEON MEETING. OUTLOOK IN EUROPE. The weekly lunch meeting of the Auokland Rotary Club held to-day in Milne and Choyee's reception hall, was well attended, ex-presidcnt r J\ U. Wells, being in the chair. Among the visitors were Messrs. 1). M. Sherwood (London), I A. E. Pizzey (Melbourne), A. G. Downes I (Hamilton), W. Harbutt (Cambridge), j R. H. Nesbitt and A. C. Blair (Weli lin«rton), H. T. Morton (To Kuiti). The speaker of the day was Mr. D. M. Sherwood, a chartered accountant of London, at present 011 a visit to the Dominion. On the subject "The Trend of Europe," Mr- Sherwood painted a gloomy picture, stating that the existence of Western civilisation was threatened in the present mad race of armaments. The cause of war, he said, was economic and was due to a hick of purchasing power. There was a surplus of money, but profitable opportunities for investment was lacking, and this in its turn was a reflex of lessened purchasing power. Britain was said to be ; prosperous, but it was the unfortunate fact that this prosperity was being built up on armament construction. With the masses of Europe, said the speaker, it was a case of starve or suffer or fight. War-like preparations were going feverishly ahead. There was 110 hope from international action. It was useless to look to European countries to provide a solution. Peace could only be secured if some nation outside Europe could succeed in presenting a successful solution of world problems that was founded on democratic principles. The people wanted peace, but they were inarticulate and Europe was heading for disaster. In moving the usual .vote of thanks to the speaker, Rotarian G. W. Hutchison said the only guarantee of world peace must come through an acceptance of the principles of Christianity. —