The Rotary Balita no. 667 (March 15, 1951).

Have we got the "gimmies," or are we members of the "givers" club? Are we cultivating friends for what we can get out of them, or are we content with enjoying the smiles of satisfaction on their faces when we make them happy? Shall we make those who owe us cough up the last farthing of their debts, or do we consider it more profitable to be magnanimous? Should the U. S. insist on the payment of the vast millions she loaned to bankrupt European nations, and the return of every ship and machine she handed out to her former allies? Should she continue handing out billions of dollars of her taxpayers' money to stave off the scourge of communism all over the world? Nations differ little from their citizens. The world is full of beggars, panhandlers. grafters, "gold diggers," people trying to profit from the sweat and thrift of others. We all know folks who are your friends so long as they are your guests, smoking your cigarettes, drinking your cocktails, riding in your car, and waiting for you to sign the chits. At every public reception, where free drinks are served, we find them there helping themselves generously. Yes, we know them well. On the other hand there are those who attain places of prominence and profit by their pretended generosity; by throwing big parties; by passing out the cigars, and grabbing for the chits. They actually get votes and prominence by appearing to be good sports and big shots. Sometimes, we are later asked to help buy their tickets back home, or to contribute to their funeral expenses, or to bail them out of jail; for some of them, unable to pay the chits they sign. make use of "borrowed" capital. It is not always possible to fathom the motives of either of those groups. It is not an easy matter to decide whether beggars are deserving of our alms, or whether we will be suckers if we forgive our debtors. Whether Japan can pay and survive, and whether the Philippines can forgive and survive, are questions of vital importance. We are supporting an army in Korea to help preserve democratic ideals in the Orient. Perhaps we may also find it necessary to stand as soldiers to fight communism in Japan, if she is unable to cope with the situation. Whether we should be a hard-boiled Shylock, or a chicken-hearted good Samaritan, is a live debatable subject for serious thought.