ROTARY AND THE WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23661, 21 May 1940, Page 9

ROTARY AND THE WAR

ATTITUDE DEFINED IDEAL OF SERVICE "Rotary International expects its members, while co-operating toward a cordial international understanding, to be thoroughly loyal to their religious and moral ideals, and to the higher interests of their particular country," stated a message from the board of Rotary International, which was read at the Auckland Rotarj 7 Club luncheon yesterday by the president, Mr. C. K. Grierson. The message defined the movement's attitude toward the war. For more than 20 years Rotary had encouraged and fostered the advancement of international goodwill, tho messago stated, yet scarcely a year had passed without armed conflict in some part of the world, and now warfaro was being waged in more than a third of the countries and geographical regions in which there were Rotary clubs. "It should be re-emphasised that Rotary is based on the, ideal of service," it continued, "and where freedom, justice, truth, sanctity of the pledged word and respect for human rights do not exist, Rotary cannot live nor its ideal prevail. These principles are vital to the maintenance of international peace and order, and to human progress. The board condemns all attacks upon these principles, and calls upon each Rotarian to exert his influence and strength to protect to help hasten the day when war need no longer be used as an instrument for settling international disputes."