The Rotary Balita no. 759 (December 9, 1954).

(Speech before the Manila Rotary Club, December 2, 1954) Distinguished Guests, Rotary Anns, and Fellow-Rotarians: It is a well-established practice in the best Rotary clubs throughout the world to bring now and then to the Rotary meetings little lessons in Rotary information that can help to increase the knowledge and understanding of Rotary among Rotarians, and to spread this information among the non-Rotarians. Thus it will not be said that in our Rotary meetings we hear and talk about everything else in the world except the subject of Rotary. This year, being the Golden Jubilee Year of Rotary International, such Rotary information features of our programs gain added significance because there is no better way of observing Rotary's Golden Anniversary than to renew our dedication to its principles and objectives through a better knowledge of Rotary. To our Rotary Anns and guests at this meeting it should be of real interest to hear a few things about Rotary, in whose name and under whose auspices we are all gathered here. First, what is Rotary? There are some common misconceptions about Rotary. Because we hold luncheon meetings every week, Rotary has been called a "luncheon" club. And because we sing in our Rotary meetings, Rotary has also been called a "singing" club. And if people see the way our fine-master here is imposing fines right and left on all of us, they may even call this a "fining" club. But Rotary is not any of these. That we gather and lunch together every week is only its outward manifestation. Rotary is not a luncheon club. It is the cheery greetings, the warm handshakes, the hearty singing, and the intimate friendships that grow out of these weekly reunions — these are what make Rotary what it is. They are, I would say, like the cool springs that water the roots of the spirit of fellowship which is one of the main attributes of Rotary. The more we try to know of and understand Rotary, the more we come to realize that Rotary Is a living and growing concept that cannot be exactly defined. Rotary must be lived and experienced in order that its true meaning can be fully understood and appreciated. One has to study its history, its evolution, and its achievements in order to understand the Rotary program and its object. Attempts to define Rotary in so many words have only succeeded in bringing out or emphasizing some of its important aspects. Thus our President of Rotary International this year, Herbert J. Taylor, recently defined Rotary as "a maker of friendships and a builder of men." This definition of President "Herb" is indeed, very apt in emphasizing friendship and goodness in man which are really the essence in Rotary. But it goes beyond these. Rotary fosters the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service. It affords us unusual opportunities to meet new acquaintances and friends. But it should be remembered that the new friendships that we make in Rotary are not to be thought of as material means for personal gain. Rotary is not for the "joiner" or one who goes into a club for what he can get out of it. Rotary is for those who seek an ever-widening circle of friends and acquaintances because of the joy that they derive from such associations and the opportunities that it gives them to be of service to others. Rotary recognizes the worthiness of all useful occupations and admits into the Rotary club one representation of each occupation. This is the classification principle of membership which every Rotary Club must strictly adhere to. Rotary is not just an association of men. It represents a cross-section of the business and professional life of every community in which it is organized. There is a wide diversity of businesses and professions represented in every club, and Rotary in this way can make its influence reach every important phase of community life. Every Rotarian represents his profession in Rotary and he represents Rotary among the members of his profession. Rotary also enjoins its members to put into practice and to apply the ideal of service to his personal, business, and community life. Lip service to Rotary principles does not make one a Rotarian. Only when we can honestly say to ourselves that we are adhering to, and living up to these principles in our daily life and in our personal and business dealings that we can be truly called Rotarians. Rotary also "fosters the advancement of international understanding, good will, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional men united in the ideal of service." We have today nearly 400,000 Rotarians and about 9,000 Rotary clubs in 89 countries of the world. These nearly 400,000 leaders in business and in the professions are Rotary's daily emissaries for international understanding. Through them Rotary is plodding on, working steadily, without pretense, to scatter the seeds of international friendship among all the peoples of the world. Rotary has an important role to play in this difficult period of the world's history. Rotary can make a real contribution toward a better world.