ROTARY IDEALS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22136, 26 September 1946, Page 4

ROTARY IDEALS

PEACE INFLUENCE GOODWILL TOWARDS ALL GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS The devotion of Rotarians to the ideals of their movement cost many of them dearly in the Nazi-occupied territories of Europe during the late wai. The fact that the movement in those countries lived through the greatest period of stress and oppression the world has known is one of the finest auguries for the future strength and influence of Rotary International in world affairs, as well ns in matters of national concern.

Mr W Blair Tennent, district governor of the fifty-second Rotary district, comprising the North Island of New Zealand, gave a gathering of Gisborne Rotarians last evening a few glimpses of what the movement had meant to the oppressed people of Europe in the dark years. Mr.’ Tennent returned recently from the Rotary International conference held in Atlantic City, U.S.A., and is at present visiting a number of clubs in his territory and delivering the message of the conference In extending a welcome to Mr. Tennent. the Gisborne club president, Mr. IT. Gilmer, remarked that there had been many eminent governors of Rotary in New Zealand, but the mana of the movement was still increasing, and in their present district governor Rotarians had a man eminently fitted to carry out tho duties of that post. Survivor of Nazi Hate

Mr. Tennent described the Rotary International conference, the first held since the war. as an inspiration to all who had had the privilege of attending. There were some exceptionally fine men present from 42 nations represented in the Rotary movement, ohe of them a man who had been a president of Rotary in Czechoslovakia and who, throughout the war. had held underground Rotary meetings in defiance of the Nazi order prohibiting such activities as against the interests of the Reich. The meetings had to_ be secret, of course, and their organiser had to go into permanent hiding. His wife and two brothers were shot by the Nazis when they refused to tell where he was hiffing. or where the meetings were held, and other members of his family were treated with the greatest brutality. Meeting this legendary figure of the Czechoslovakian movement. Mr. Tenpent had asked him how, in the face of such terrible repression, he had found + be courage to persist. His answer was that when all hope seemed to be fading out. it seemed to uim that Rotary offered the only, organisation through which peace might he rps+nred and maintained. Its international character held the promise of understanding between peoples and the final outlawry of war.

World Governor to Visit N.Z,

Speaking of the many interesting personalities at the conference. Mr. Tennent mentioned the outstanding character of Mr. Tom Harris, an Englishman who had recently become governor of Rotary International and whose gift for chairmanship was one of the delights of the gathering. His manner of conducting- discussions, his wit. tact and genial mastery of procedure captured a 1! the delegates from the outset, and through all his actions and speeches had shone the light of hi' , h ideals.

The fact that he was an Englishman over the first post-war conference on American soil emphasised the international aspects of the movement. Mr Tennent aroused keen interest -when he stated that Mr. Tom Harris will visit New Zealand in February or March next, and that all Rotary club members were recommended to take the opportunity of meeting him at a big district conference to be organised when the dates of his arrival and departure were known. In the later portion of his address Mr. Tennent. dealt with the four main objectives of Rotary, namely, club service, community service, vocational service and international service. The lastnamed was, in these davs. of the utmost importance in the licht of Rotary s having “come to stay” and the fact that 42 nations were represented in iho movement. Through the organisation in -these countries it was_ possible to spread the message of international goodwill and trust which could lead to iho great goal of peace among all the peoples of the world.