The Rotary Balita no. 696 (May 22, 1952)

 At a recent closed meeting of the Manila Rotary, the question of whether the Club should take a stand on the ratification of the Japanese peace treaty was broached. The Club voted against taking any stand. It was a sound decision. Advocates of the Club taking sides on the matter reasoned out that the controversial Japanese peace treaty involved national interest and that as a civic organization, the Manila Rotary was called upon to define its position. Such argument would be perfectly valid if the Rotary were an organization composed exclusively of Filipinos, which is not the fact. Rotary is a cosmopolitan association and any vote on the master would have included the views of foreigners. Certainly, the matter involved being purely a Philippine affair, it would not be proper for those who belong to the foreign community in the club to express their views publicly. It is not a question of being indifferent to a public issue; it is a matter of whether the Club, considering its composition, should take a hand in the case.