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1947 San Francisco Convention
Tributes to Paul P. Harris
John Matheson Edgar, RC Essendon, Australia
JOHN MATHESON EDGAR: President Dick, Chairman Perry, Ladies and
Rotarians: On behalf of the country of the wattle and gum tree,
kangaroo and kookaburra, the koala and platypus - sunny
Australia ‑ I am glad to have this great opportunity to pay a
sincere tribute to the memory of all Rotarians who have passed
away during the year.
We
have lost two of our Past Presidents, men whom we could ill
afford to lose, and then we lost our Founder, our revered and
beloved Paul Harris.
Many of us in Australia met Paul in 1935. To meet him was to
love that quiet, unassuming, whimsical, kindly and most friendly
of men.
All of us would like to leave this world a better place than we
found it. Paul did that. The wonderful thing is that he lived to
see his beloved Rotary grow and spread, until its ideals are
being practiced and believed in, in every freedom‑loving country
in the world.
What an achievement! Surely there must be something grand,
outstandingly fine, in this Rotary which he created, which we
profess and of which we are so fond.
Why? It appeals to all men of goodwill, of every race, color and
creed. It knows no particular religion, and no particular
nationality. It knows and embraces them all. Its ideals are
accepted by all the many different nationals represented at this
great Convention. I have met many of them, spoken with them,
learned from them, and am honored by having them as my friends.
I
now know as I never knew before that we are a great brotherhood,
united on matters that count, thinking and behaving alike.
That thought was thrust upon me when at Ogden a carriage
containing our South American friends was attached to our
special Rotary train. Immediately, hands were held out to be
gripped with the grip of friendship. There was no hanging back,
‑ no waiting to be introduced. It was a spontaneous expression
of mutual friendship from across the seas. That meeting brought
a lump into my throat. It could happen only amongst Rotarians,
and it gave me a wider conception of Rotary International.
True, genuine friendship can exist between men of different
nationalities. It must exist if we are to have peace.
Such thoughts will be carried back by all Australians present.
Rotary is already strong there. It will be our unswerving
purpose to make it stronger, by doing our utmost to give it to
more men of goodwill.
We
all have had our horizons lifted, and are all thankful that that
great man, Paul Harris, was born.
(Applause)
CHESLEY R. PERRY: The third speaker is
Conrad Bonnevie Svendsen of the
Rotary Club of Oslo, Norway. (Applause)
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