The Rotary Balita no. 790 (February 9, 1956)

Past President Judge Frank B. Ingersoll led a discussion on "The Classification Basis of a Rotary Club."

Monday afternoon, back at the hall of the School of Hygiene where:

Prof. Dr. A. Leber, Past President of the Malang Club of Java, spoke on "Rotary Contacts in the Pacific Region."

Mr. Y. Hoshino, Rotarian from Osaka, delivered the message of Mr. Shozo Murata, Governor, 70th District, Japan.

Rotarian Carlos P. "Rommy" Romulo spoke on "The Coming Generation."

Dr. J. M. Henry of the Rotary Club of Canton spoke on "Effect and Value of Goodwill Missions To Other Countries."

Monday evening was a dinner meeting at the University Club where Rotarian Col. Louis J. Van Schaick, Adviser to the Governor General of the Philippine Islands, spoke on "The Philippines—Past."

At 9:00 P.M. the Rotarians were guests of Arsenic Luz, Past President of the Rotary Club of Manila and Director General of the Philippine Carnival.

Tuesday Morning—February 19, 1935.

President "Art" F. Fischer of the Rotary Club of Manila spoke on "The Challenge To Rotarians Of The Economic Problems In The Pacific Region,"

Past President Samuel "Sam" Gaches spoke on the subject of "Buyer-Seller Relationship."

Rotarian John Haussermann, known to his associates as "Farmer John," the gold mining tycoon of the Philippines, spoke on 'Employer's Responsibility Toward His Employees."

Luncheon on Tuesday was served at the Polo Club, followed by an excursion to Tagaytay Ridge overlooking Taal volcano and lake.

Dinner was served on the roof garden of the College of Engineering, U. P., followed by musical in Villamor Hall, Conservatory of Music.

President Emeritus and Founder of Rotary, Mr. Paul Harris, spoke during the Musical on the "Possibilities of Rotary."

Wednesday Morning—February 20th, 1935, Rotarian E. S. "Stan" Turner spoke on "Opportunities Fer Community Service By Clubs In The Pacific Region."

Past President H. J. Guthrie of the Rotary Club of Dunedin then spoke on the same subject.

The "Objects of Rotary" were then discussed by Director of Rotary International Tsunejiro Miyaoka from Japan and by Past President E. C. Smith of the Rotary Club of Gore, New Zealand.

Chairman introduced the next speaker, a Manila Rotarian, as "Arsenic" Luz. He said he was known as Arsenic because he is the poison to gloom in the Manila Carnival of which he was the Director. Rotarian Luz, a former newspaperman and Past President of the Rotary Club of Manila, spoke on "What Can A Rotary Club Do To Create A More Favorable Press Abroad For Its Country."

Hon. Commissioner Peter Harris then read a paper on the same subject prepared by Rotarian Bob Morley, who was unable to attend the conference.

The meeting was then adjourned and the delegates and their ladies motored to the Casino Español where they were served with a luncheon, Spanish style, prepared under the direction of Rotarian Garry Garriz.

The luncheon was followed by a Round Table Conference at which Rotarian Geo. W. Olinger of Denver, Colorado, spoke on "The 1935 Convention Of Rotary International At Mexico City; Rotarian E. W. Frazar of Tokyo spoke on Business And Professional Ethics In The Pacific Region"; and our own Dr. E. L. "Ned" Hall spoke on Vocational Guidance.

The delegates then returned to the conference hall of the School of Hygiene and Dr. Fong Foo Sec, Past Director of Rotary International, spoke on "The Meaning And Implications Of The Sixth Object In View Of World Changes Since Its Adoption In 1921."

Past President of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, Chas. R. Frazier, spoke on The Possibility Of Holding The Annual Convention Of Rotary International In The Pacific.

President Emeritus Paul Harris spoke for the second time telling intimate stories of the Rotarians he had met during his travels for Rotary.

President of Rotary International R. L. "Bob" Hill then closed the Conference with a soul-stirring address on Rotary and its future.

There were at least two incidents during the conference, of international extent, that were brilliantly and successfully handled by Chairman George.

Mr. F. Key of Hongkong registered a grievance. It was that the Hongkong members did not want to sing at meetings and resented being given nicknames.

Without losing his sense of humor Chairman Malcolm replied that undoubtedly President Bob Hill would be happy to confer with him on the matter.

Another incident concerned a member of the Japanese delegation, a Director of Rotary International, who seemed obsessed with his importance. When Chairman Malcolm learned of the situation he went out of his way to invite him to a prominent seat on the platform and in pictures saw that he was well placed.

This conference brought to Manila, Rotarians from practically all nations bordering on the Pacific Ocean and included President Emeritus Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary, and his Rotary Ann, the President of Rotary International "Bob" H, and District Governor Dr. C. T. Wang, of China and the Philippines.
As a result of these contacts the Rotary Club of Manila became known worldwide which resulted later in honors being bestowed upon several Filipino Rotarians:

The Rotary Club of Manila was not attached" to any district until 1935 when a district was formed in China and the Clubs in the Philippines, i.e. Manila, Cebu and Iloilo were placed in that district (No. 81) under the Governorship of Rotarian Dr. C. T. Wang, a Shanghai Rotarian.

As the new district covered such a tremendous territory (all of China and the Philippines), Governor Wang appointed Past President Arthur F. Fischer of the Manila Club as his representative in the Philippines.

Gov. C. T. Wang later became the Chinese Ambassador in Washington and upon his appointment he resigned as District Governor. Dr. Fong Fu Sec became the District Governor on November 1, 1936.

Carlos P. Romulo, better known as "Rommy" to his fellow Rotarians, became President on July 1, 1935, and his term saw the first "Boys Week" which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manila. This has since become a national institution, under the name of "Youth Week."

President Rommy restricted the activities of the "Song Table," which had been doing more singing than eating, to a limited number of songs just before the guest speaker was introduced. After this, the Manila Club lost its reputation for a time as a "singing club."

The last Insular Auditor of the Philippine Islands under the American regime was Rotarian J. Weldon Jones. On the inauguration of the Philippine. Commonwealth "Tip," as he was called, became financial adviser to the American High Commissioner and later Acting High Commissioner.

When asked recently if he had any prewar records in relation to the Rotary Club of Manila, or could recall any points of interest, "Tip" Jones replied:

"I am afraid I cannot add much to it, except to bear testimony, as a member and as a United States Official, that it was a strong force in the Community for achieving harmony among many races and nationalities. I thought that the Club not only preached, but applied in daily practice the principles of fair play and advanced the spirit of live and let live. The Manila Club was representative of the best in Manila life and its various cultures. I feel that I have never been more honored by any group of men than I was by Manila Rotary the first meeting I attended after becoming the Acting High Commissioner in the spring of 1936.

"While Acting High Commissioner, I thought through possible actions that could be taken by individuals and groups in Manila and throughout the Philippines in case of a national tragedy.

"I do recall that I felt that very definite and important responsibilities could be undertaken by Manila Rotary in case of a great emergency."

Pres. Geo. C. Dankwerth became President on July 1, 1936. This was an eventful year in the calendar of Philippine history as it was on November 15, 1936, that Governor General Frank Murphy, with the implementation of the Jones Law, became the U. S. High Commissioner and Manuel L. Quezon became President of the Philippine Commonwealth Government.

President George created the much-needed Club Service "Sunshine" Committee, which is still active. This committee through the attention it gives to bereaved members or to those sick at home or in the hospital has done much to further the spirit of friendship and fellowship in the Club.

In March 1937 Rotarian Angus Mitchell, who was a representative from Australia at the Fifth Regional Conference in Manila in 1935, was a guest speaker when he visited Manila as the head of the Australian Goodwill Mission to China, Japan and the Philippines. Angus Mitchell was later to become a President of Rotary International.

It was during this year that Past President Carlos P. Romulo was honored by being the first Rotarian from the Philippines to be appointed to an International Committee of Rotary.

Justice Geo, A. Maicoim became President of the Rotary Club of Manila on July 1, 1937. President Justice George, except for the time that he was master of ceremonies during the Fifth Pacific Regional Conference, had sat quietly on the sidelines for some eight years, and it was only after a delegation of American and Filip.no Rotarians had called upon him in his office in the Department of Justice and pointed out to him that it was his duty to accept the presidency that he consented.

Justice George duplicated his 1935 performance and became one of the best presiding officers that the Club ever had.

During Justice George's administration the local Rotary membership was changed from one dominated by Americans to one international in flavor through a campaign which brought into the Club many fine Filipino members and representatives of other nationalities.

It is recorded that Justice George succeeded in balancing the Club's budget for the first time in five years.

A project was started during Justice George's term of office, which has been carried on year after year ever since and that is to furnish the blind in Manila with black and white striped canes.

A committee, headed by Rotarian Jose Galvez (now deceased), was also created to provide a Christmas celebration for some group of low-paid City employees and the street cleaners were the ones chosen.

Arrangements were made with a moving picture theater to open the theater to the street cleaners and their families, each of whom had been provided with a pass to attend a show on the afternoon of the day before Christmas. After the show, each family was given a bag of groceries and a supply of candy sufficient for each of their children.

(Continued, next issue)