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CONVENTION MESSAGE [1946 Atlantic City]
By
Paul P. Harris, President Emeritus of Rotary International
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
To
my friends in attendance at the Convention of Rotary
International in the year of 1946, greetings and best wishes for
a perfect success.
This promises to be the greatest Convention Rotary International
has ever held. For nearly a half century, Rotary has been on its
way; first, from city to city in the United States; then over
the border to Canada; across the seas to Great Britain; then to
Latin American countries; and on to Continental Europe; across
the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines, China and Japan, Australia
and New Zealand, India and Africa. Seventy‑three nations or
geographical regions now constitute the golden chain.
In
all countries Rotarians break bread together in happy accord.
The goal is the Brotherhood of Man. Many folks scoffed at Rotary
with its highsounding phrases, but Rotary is composed of strong,
courageous and resolute men and Rotary moves steadily on.
Rotary is good for you, my friends. To the ill, it says, "Take
up thy bed and walk." Rotary prolongs the life of hundreds of
thousands of men; Rotary makes for health and happiness.
This great Convention is a good illustration of what Rotary does
for us. We have gathered
together in this vast amphitheater men and women of many
nations. The "Ideal of Rotary" has percolated through the
citizenry of dozens of nations.
Now, for the first time in the world's history, the nations have
joined together and organized what men know as the United
Nations. Rotarians are deeply thankful that the governments of
the world are following the trail blazed by Rotary forty‑one
years ago. In more than seventy countries, Rotarians have been
doing the spade work; they have been preparing the minds of
their respective countrymen, and now comes the harvest; the
nations of the world have at long last come together in the name
of the United Nations.
Rotary has worked patiently and prayerfully for the coming of
this day. God has answered these prayers. The United Nations
have their enemies and scoffers as Rotary had its enemies and
scoffers years ago.
What should Rotarians do to back up the United Nations? Just
what they are doing. Rotarians were chairmen of seven national
delegations at the San Francisco Conference, and in all, as
delegates or consultants at the San Francisco Conference, there
were fifty Rotarians. Thus the spirit of Rotary was very
definitely in evidence in San Francisco during the writing of
the United Nations Charter.
Since that time Rotarians around the world have been engaged in
a continuous effort to disseminate information about the United
Nations. It has had observers at various meetings of the United
Nations and will continue to do so. The Board of Directors of
Rotary International has agreed, that while RI does not go on
record as endorsing all the provisions of the United Nations
Charter, it should encourage, foster and support the United
Nations and take such steps as will inform Rotarians (and
non‑Rotarians) as to the purposes and far‑reaching importance of
the Charter.
Rotarians around the world are doing their utmost for the reign
of "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men." "Great oaks from
little acorns grow." The little acorn planted in Chicago,
forty‑one years ago, has grown into a mighty oak.
This is jubilee day in Rotary ‑ may its sun never set. May its
great work continue. Let's do all that we can to help make the
United Nations successful. The United Nations, my friends, is
the answer to our prayers.
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