BOYS OF THE WORLD

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 312, 29 September 1926, Page 6

BOYS OF THE WORLD

PLEA FOR GUIDANCE AN IDEAL FOR ROTARIANS "To the men of Rotary the world round, greetings. In handing you this brief message of welcome, it is my privilege and my pleasure to be spokesman for all the boys of the world— JJorth, South, East, and West, of every colour, creed, and class, and of every nation under tlie sun On this momentous occasion of your seventeenth Rotary International Convention, I come to voice just one mighty, dynamic, world-stirring thought—and could I but make you, here assembled in this great international gathering of tlie world’s most representative men, accept my message, this would go down in history as a new day for the world. I come to voice on behalf of all the boys everywhere this one mighty, thundering thought. Boys are the hope of the world—your boys, American boys, and all the boys of the nations under the sun. Do you wish to make an actuality of your world brotherhood idealism ? Then plant world-wide the thought in the heart of youth. Do you hunger for an era of universal peace ? Then in world-wide fashion train the boys in tolerance, mutual regard and service. Do you wish to reduce crime and delinquency round the earth to the irreducible minimum ? Then awaken to the adequate spiritual and moral training of youth. Here we stand, a million of us, eager, receptive, open-minded, capable—as yet unspoiled by narrow prejudice and narrow bigotry—certain beyond anv shadow of a doubt to mature and do what this generation of men plants in our boyish hearts and imaginations. Why seek longer here, there, and everywhere for doubtful solutions to the vexing problems of mankind, when here we stand —the boys of all the world—plastic in your hands, longing, eager to fulfil your dreams of a better world and seal our destinv ? We plead with you to-day for leadership, for guidance, for a training in all the things adequate for the modern dav. Men of Rotary, go home to the verv corners of the earth, with this niv message ringing in your ears, until vou and vour people shall be driven-to accept it—boys are the hope of the world.” Such was the message delivered by Charles Bowes (a 15-vear-old box’ and a Captain of the Highlander Boys—an organisation in Denver similar to the Bov Scouts) to the Rotarian delegates at the recent international convention in America, and handed on to the Rotarians of Wellington vesterdav by Mr H. Amos. "I wish Charles Bowes was here to deliver that to you himself,” said Mr Amos. “You would never forget it.”