The Rotary Balita no. 630 (September 29, 1949).

A prolonged standing ovation was accorded Ambassador Carlos P. Romulo by the Manila Rotary Club, of which he is a member, at the club's meeting on September 22 for his election as President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. In his commendation for Ambassador Romulo, President Balmy said: "We have a beautiful tradition in Rotary, which I believe springs from our spirit of genuine fellowship, that when a fellow Rotarian makes noteworthy an achievement in his field of activity, our hearts spontaneously go out to him with an instinctive feeling of joy. We commend him for his achievement and let him know how happy we are. "You have all read the happy news from Lake Success the other day about the election of our fellow Rotarian, Rommy Romulo, to the position of President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. This is indeed a signal honor to him, to Manila Rotary, and to the Philippines. It is, I say, a distinction and a high honor not only to him and to us but also to the small nations of the world of which Ambassador Romulo has been the tireless and eloquent champion. "General Romulo is not with us today to receive our congratulations in person and to feel the warmth of our personal rejoicing over his election. He is not here to hear the din of our applause. "Nevertheless, I ask you to rise in true Rotary spirit and let us give to our fellow Rotarian, Rommy Romulo, a standing ovation for this happy event." How honest are you? Do you ever lie or steal? Is lying or stealing ever justifiable? Let each one answer those questions for himself. We conducted an Honesty Campaign; posted mottoes; published articles, speeches, and awarded medals to impress the public that "Honesty is the Best Policy." Let us now examine ourselves and decide if we practice what we preach. When you attend a private party at which you have had a hard time to keep awake, and, really have a "heck of a time," do you tell your hostess on leaving that you had a most delightful evening? If so are you a liar? Or is that excusable? When your fountain pen goes dry, do you fill it from the bottle of another without permission? If so is that not stealing? Or, if you wish to write a note and have forgotten your pen and pencil, will you pick up a pencil not belonging to you and use some of the lead from its point without asking anyone? If so did you not steal something of value? In our Philippine Supreme Court Reports is a decision in which Robert G. Schields was convicted of stealing some old bottles of medicines which had been discarded. The case was taken clear to the Supreme Court of the U. S. on a technical question. The defendant claimed the bottles had no value, as they had been condemned. The prosecution argued that they have some value, or he would not have taken them.