ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

35 E. Wacker Drive, Chicago 1, Il.

ROTARY SALATE TO CHINA

The Rotary Club

Suggestions for a “China Day” Meeting

 

The United States Office of War Information has designated the MONTH OF
MARCH, 1944, as an appropriate time for celebrations, meetings, and programs
for the purpose of directing attention to China, her victorious armies, and
long-suffering but brave people. Of all the United Nations, China has been in
the fight longest, and it is with the intention of demonstrating American
friendship and appreciation that the Office of War Information has requested

this general observance throughout the country.

Rotary clubs will welcome the opportunity to comply with this suggestion,
and in their meetings and programs pay tribute to a great nation that has
demonstrated its friendship for the United States in so many ways, and to

learn more about that great nation, its ancient civilization and culture, and

U. S. Paper No. 27

He
ep
Cs

He Profits Most

Literal Translation:

The Turning
Wheel Club

modern progress and unification as a Republic.

Who Serves Best

Literal Translation:
Help to Others

 

Special Features for “China Day”

An ideal program would be so arranged that the
whole atmosphere of the meeting would be Chinese.
This can be done by attention to details like the
following:

1—Decorations. There should be Chinese and
American flags in the front of the room and perhaps
a picture of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek.

2—Food. Arrangements should be made for a
Chinese-style menu. Quite a number of Chinese dishes
have been popularly accepted by the American palate,
so that such preparations will not involve much

difficulty.

3—Music. Chinese music still sounds somewhat
unusual to American ears, but there are available
recordings which will. be interesting. By all means,
an effort should be made either to get a record of the
Chinese National Anthem, or to have someone sing it.

4—Special Guests. Since this program should be a
sort of official celebration, it would be appropriate to
invite any prominent Chinese in town, any Chinese
students, and Americans particularly interested in
Chinese and far-Eastern affairs.

5—Speaker. An appropriate speaker for such a
program should not be difficult to find. He could be:
(a) A Chinese consul or other governmental repre-

sentative.

(b) A Chinese student or educator from a nearby col-
lege or university.

Means Help
to Self

(c) A Chinese merchant or professional man, out-
standing in the community.

(d) An American repatriate recently returned from
some occupied portion of China.

(e) An American interested in, and well-versed in
Chinese and far-Eastern affairs.

6—The Topic. The exact theme should be left to
the speaker, but some such topics as these might be
suggested to him: “The Role of China in the Present
War”; “The Future of Chinese-American Relation-
ships”; “China and America—Similarities and Differ-
ences”; “The Chinese Youth Movement”; “New Life
Movement,” etc.

What About Rotary in China?

The first Rotary club in China was formed in
Shanghai, in July, 1919, by Rotarian Roger Pinneo of
Seattle, Washington, and Dr. Julean Petit of Shanghai.

The subsequent extension of clubs was rather slow
—only 11 clubs by 1935—due to a number of reasons.
For one thing, they were originally concentrated in
the port cities where theré were considerable numbers
of Americans and Englishmen, and membership of
these first clubs consisted principally of such Occi-
dentals with an occasional prominent Chinese.

The meetings were conducted in English and the
literature was printed in English, so that only Chinese
who had studied abroad or who had acquired a very
thorough knowledge of the English language at home
could become members.