SPIRIT OF ROTARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 51, 2 March 1937, Page 10

SPIRIT OF ROTARY

ITS NEED TODAY

INTERNATIONAL. ASPECT

CONGRESS OPENED

.The yalue of the spirit of Rotary infestablishing international relationships was emphasised by the Attorney-General (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) when opening the sixth Pacific Regional Conference of Rotary International in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall today. "I do not see the hope of founding international relationships upon any sort of mechanism," declared Mr. Mason. "I believe that they must be founded on international good will, on the right international spirit. It is there that Rotary comes in." District Governor Will Thomas presided over the gathering of delegates, which numbered 520, including the following overseas visitors: —Japan, Yozo Nomura; Shanghai, Dr. and Mrs. Inui; Honolulu, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Banks, Miss Banks; San Francisco, Mr. and Mrs. G. Whitney; Manila, Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Hall; Vancouver, Mr. and Mrs. E. Lipsett; Australia, - Messrs. Otto Bayer (Colac), F. Donaghy (Geelong), W. R. Bladwell (Goulburn), Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Hill (Newcastle), Messrs. J. Reid Hill (Sydney), R. Joseline (North Sydney), W. Lackersteen.(Nowra), C. W. Morris (Goulburn), Mr. and Mrs. R. Minnett (North Sydney), Mr. and Mrs. S. McGibbon (Perth), Mr. J. Inglis Robertson (North Sydney), Mr. and Mrs. J. Stevens (Warracknabeal), the Rev. H. J. Ralph (Hobart), Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Smith (Goulburn), Mr. L. H. Harvey (Parramatta), and Mr. and Mrs. Lukiri and Miss Lukin. Rotarian Harry E. Anderson, president or* the Wellington Club, said it indeed gave him^great pride, on behalf of the country and on behalf of his club, to welcome so many members of the Rotary movement-in the Pacific. He extended warm and hearty greetings to the overseas Rotarians; if ;t were not for them, he said, it would not be possible to hold a Pacific Conference. 'He also welcomed the New Zealand delegates who were attending in such numbers. District Governor Will Thomas welcomed the Attorney-General and the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) and added his greetings to the delegates. •He expressed the hope that they would get from the conference benefits that would further the cause of peace and good will in the world. The chairman introduced the following delegates, who were seated with him on the stage, to the conference:— Rotarians Yozo Nomura, Harry E. Anderson, S. L. P. Free (representing Rotary International), H. J. Guthrie (past district governor), R. M. Banks, J. M. A. Ilott (conference committee chairman), J. Inglis Robertson (district governor, Australia), E. G. Harper, Dr. Inui, S. McGibbon (past district governor, Perth), Sir Alexander Roberts (past district governor. Wellington), T. L. Hall, E. Lipsett, Harison Cook (sergeant-at-arms), E. G. Harper (conference secretary), and Miss F. M. Low (assistant conference secretary)GROWTH OF ROTARY. The Minister expressed regret at the inability of the Prime Minister (the Kt. Hon. M. J. Savage) to attend, and in his absence he had, on behalf of the Government, pleasure in extending a very hearty welcome to the conference, more particularly to those who had come from afar. Rotary had grown co be of such world-wide importance that, there were few people who were not acquainted with its ideals, to some extent at least. "In ,fact," said Mr. Mason, "we khow that during its existence, which hardly covers more than a generation, it has caused what might fairly be called a transformation in the outlook of many communities. The main ideal of Rotary—and one hears it mentioned as an ideal, and not in a sort of self-satisfaction or boasting—is the' word 'Service.1 And I should mention, as one who is not a Rotarian, that it comes under my notice that the word is not merely a catchword—it represents a real power in the life of the members. Rotary has grown from humble beginnings—from beginnings in one city until it covers not merely the English-speaking world, but the larger world. In thinking of Rotary I feel that we need it in the international sphere more than in any other. Perhaps, that is only another way of saying that today our thoughts and fears are rather centred on international issues. For my part I do not see the hope of founding international relation- ■ ships upon any sort of mechanism. I believe that international relations must be founded on international good will, on the right international spirit. It is there that Rotary comes in; it is there that Rotary can do what I fear many other institutions have failed to do. . ,"We know that Rotary, by its spirit of ' service, has made changes in the community. The same-will apply, I am convinced, in the international sphere. It is' so depressing when we think of the difficulties of the internationl situation. We meet individuals from overseas. We like them and we think they are good fellows, and yet when we read in the cables in the newspapers of happenings of otrf r countries they don't seem so good. I do not know whether it is right to blame the people who send the cables or to blame i'/e newspaper men. But it seems to me we don't get a true view of our friends in other countries, because they are our friends really. I suppose that as far as the newspapers and cable services are concerned, it arises from their supplying news, and we read nothing but news. What is news? lam not a newspaperman, but I have heard the tale of the great editor instructing a new reporter, and the point he made was that news consisted of what was unusual. The illustration he gave was —and almost everyone has heard of it —that if a dog bites a man. that is not news; but if a man were to bite a dog, that would be news—the unusual. "Through the contacts we make overseas, we get the most friendly point of view; in the newspapers we get the unusual point of view, and because we get only the unusual, we therefore get a distorted view. A GREAT CORRECTIVE. "Rotary can be a great corrective of that rather, distorted view of overseas people; it is a great cementing force. I say that not speaking in the abstract, but speaking of what has come under my notice in the actual relationship existing between Rotarians in different countries, and in the service and help they have given to one another. This gospel of service, not only in the international sphere, but elsewhere, has made a big difference, in recent years. It is not so long ago since business, through the national stress of competition, I suppose, attached too much importance to merely the self-regarding point of view. The idea of service, if it came in at all, came in a bad last. Through the influence of Rotary we see .today a big change. We see that $ man. may have the two elements in I Thim—and,' of 'course, we all have. We j