The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1928. THE PASSPORT OF ROTARY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 277, 22 November 1928, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1928. THE PASSPORT OF ROTARY

W/’HEN Paul Harris, an obscure Chicago lawyer, evolved the idea that was to develop into the Rotary movement, he did not for a moment conceive that twenty-three years later a man would arrive back home in Masterton, New Zealand, and declare: “The best passport a man can have around the world is the Rotary badge.” Yet this has come to pass. Mr 11. Francis, of Masterton, makes Ihe declaration, after spending twelve months abroad.

It was the idea of Paul Harris to hold periodic meetings with a few of his business acquaintances, to be held in rotation (hence the word “Rotary”) at. their various offices or places of business. And, even less than visioning the returning New Zealander over a quarter of a century ahead, could he have foreseen that at the expiration of the period named International Rotary would have permeated 44 countries, with nearly 3000 clubs and 150,000 members. This summer, however, Paul Harris paid the eagerly-awaited visit to the Rotary Club of London—and there, by all that was wonderful, he met the man from Masterton !

He met other New Zealanders, too. and other Rotarians from various places upon the earth—there were British Rotarians, not only from this country, lint front Australia, Canada. Newfoundland, South Africa, Fiji and Hong Kong, and Rotarians of other nationalities from almost every country in Europe. And he found that, the small circle he had drawn way back in 1905 now embraced the earth, and that men of great rank, such, for instance, as the. Kings of the Belgians and the Italians, and the Lord Mayor of London, and many of the foremost exponents of business and the professions of the world, were proud to call themselves Rotarians. It must have been a proud moment for Paul Harris as he stood to be acclaimed, amid that gathering of 50(1 Rotarians, in the centre of civilisation, acknowledging the plaudits of this brotherhood of his own creation. Eet us look at Rotary’s remarkable record. For the first six years it. was confined to the United States, spreading to the United Kingdom in 1911, the first European branch to be formed being in Dublin, followed in the same year by London. To-day Great Britain and Ireland alone have nearly 300 clubs, of which no fewer than 44 are in Greater London. It is related by a Rotary historian, that after the formation of the London club, “the rest of the world began to follow suit; clubs were opened at Havana in 1916 and at Monte Video in 1918. In 1919 the movement spread to Manila, Shanghai, Panama City. Calcutta, and Buenos Aires. Madrid and Tokio were inaugurated the following year, while 1921 brought seven more countries in; sixteen others joined by 1927, and this year has seen a notable entrant in Germany, where the movement is spreading with particular rapidity. There are 114 clubs on the continent of Europe to-day, and their number is being added to practically monthly. ” People ask themselves: “What is this Rotary, that it seems to be so successful:” It is a movement that is difficult to define. Rotarians say you may sum it up in the two slogans: “Service above Self,” and “He profits most who serves best.” They stand for Rotary’s tenets. But, briefly, if is claimed by a writer, Rotary is a philosophy of everyday life, “undertaking to inspire men to realise fully their individual capacity for patriotic citizenship in their nation, to deal honestly and ethically with their employees, their customers, and their business or professional associates, ami individually, as well as through their association in Rotary clubs, to do their utmost to bring about understanding, goodwill and international peace through a world-fellowship of business and professional men united in the ideal of Service.” An association quite worthy of the heartiest sympathy and support, surely, if its members live up to these high ideals!

We will suppose they do—or at least attempt to—and that Rotary is not what some people have termed it, a “glorified luncheon club,” but a virile body, existing for the good of the community. It is, then, no wonder that the man from Masterton finds a passport round the world in his badge, though ninetenths of the world doesn’t know there is such a place as Masterton. Rotary is international. So far it seems to be exercising a quiet influence for good which extends beyond its own limited ranks. The suggestion is I hat the membership and scope of the association should be extended for the accomplishment of even greater good.