THE WORLD CRISIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 16 August 1924, Page 8

THE WORLD CRISIS

CHALLENGE T.O, INDIVIDUALS

HIGH. PRINCIPLES REQUIRED

EVEPvY-PAV BUSINESS LIVES

A stirring appeal to members of the Auckland Rotary Cluivas leaders of the business and professional community, to live up to the highest ideals and traditions of die movement, was made bv the llev. Lionel B. Fletcher in an address at the weekly Rotary luncheon gathering yesterday. Mr Kenneth Mackenzie presided over a large attends nee.

Taking as the subject of his address. ‘•'l’lie 'Challenge, o-f the Present- World Crisis.’ 4 Mr Fletcher drew a vivid, picture of the distress and unrest among nations to-day, and of the efforts being made at (lie 'interbVllied Conference to effect some form of settlement of world problems. Tlie responsibility of answering the challenge of the present crisis, • continued Mr Fletcher, rested, with the. individual as well as with the nation. The hope of the world to-day lav in the ideals and principles which Rotary had adopted for its owri. ’.‘The solution of these great problems must be. effected by men of business, in. their every-day lives,*’ he said. '“Members of Rqtary; belong to' iv World-Wide rpovement based on the highest ideals that can lie put into effect by mankind. If.you live up to the. principles, for which this movement stands, there will lie built, tip .throughout(the w’orjd- a nfhv sentiment and relationship, that will;.displaee the old suspicion and distrust. Bm we must face tip TO t.he situation individually. As an organisation.' you are quite prepared to act according to the highest principles and ideals, but men often forget the; obligation of personal. responsibility on the, paid of every member of that organisation." There was great danger from an insidious element of “professionalism” in good works and,in the Churoli itself in these days, continued ' the speaker. People were inclined to “toss a.coin into live plate,”,and leave the matter of their salvation to the- minister and officers of the Church, and the same spirit, crept into many of- the affairs of a man's individual life. Oftimes principle and “pocket” came into conflict in business life, and/those who held that tho noblest, way was: to let principle triumph were not only building up character, but contributing some-. thing to the betterment of the life of the eommunitr.

“Tt docs’not matter what- the challenge is.” concluded the speaker, ‘‘it- is how you meet it. what you-dare and what you do, that counts. We must face fiie situation intethationally ah A individually, and. doing our duty in the highest sense, help, to build up a people noble and loyal and brave.”