Rotary’s 1944 International Conference

, It is my pleasure to issue this Offi-
cial Call for the thirty-fifth annual
meeting of Rotary International,
which is to be held on May 15-18,
1944, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

Wartime conditions make it im-
perative that the program of the
international conference this year
be streamlined to meet the essen-
tial requirements of the organiza-
tion. Therefore, attendance at the
conference will be limited, as nearly
as possible to delegates only, for
the purpose of electing officers and
for the consideration of necessary
legislation. There will be no enter-
tainment features, banquets and re-
ceptions. Because of travel difficul-
ties and the uncertainty of being
able to provide adequate housing
facilities the attendance of ladies is
not encouraged.

Rotary clubs are entitled to one
delegate for each fifty members or
major fraction thereof. Each club
is entitled to at least one voting
delegate. Just as Rotarians are ex-
pected to attend club meetings,
Rotary clubs are expected to be
represented at this international
conference, either in person or by
proxy.

President, Rotary International
Issued this First Day
of February, 1944, at
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

 

 

1944-45 Board

The Board of Directors of RI.
which will assume office on 1 July
will be composed of:

The President

_The Immediate Past President

1 Director from Canada and
Newfoundland

1 Director from Great Britain and
Ireland

*5 Directors from the United States
of America

*5 Directors from other regions not
aforementioned

Robert J. Boyd .

Club: Panama City, Panama
Classification: ocean
shipping

 

Name of firm: Boyd Brothers
Position with firm: Vice president
How many years a Rotarian: 15
Present position in Rotary: None
Positions held in Rotary in past:
Served as president of his club.

J. M. A. [lott

Club: Wellington,
New Zealand
Classification: advertising
service

Name of firm: J. Hott, Ltd.

Position with firm: Governor director

How many years a Rotarian: 19

Present position in Rotary: Director of
R.L., 1943-44

Positions held in Rotary in past:
Served as president of his club;
Governor, 53rd district, 1934-35.

(*For the Rotary year 1944-45 there
will be only four directors nominated
from the U.S.A. and four from “other
countries.” Director John B. Reilly of
Whittier, Calif. (from Zone 1) and Di-
rector Carlos M. Collignon of Guadala-
jara, Mexico, will serve a second term
in 1944-45.)

 

of Directors

C. Harald Trolle

Club: Kalmar, Sweden

Classification: commercial
banking

 

Name of firm: Svenska Handelsbanken
Position with firm: Managing director
How many years a Rotarian: 10
Present position in Rotary: None
Positions held in Rotary in past:
Served as president of his club;
Governor, 78th district, 1936-38;
Member, European Advisory Com-
mittee, 1936-40;
Member, Extension Committee,
1938-40;

Chairman, CENAEM Regional Ex-
tension Committee, 1939-40;

Member, Committee on Participa-
tion of Rotarians in Post War

World, 1942-43.

(Rotarian Trolle has been nominated by
the board to serve as a director of R.I. for
the Rotary years 1944-45 and 1945-46.)

Chengting T. Wang
Club: Chungking, China

   

Name of firm: Chinese Red Cross
How many years a Rotarian: 11 -

Present position in Rotary: Administra-
tive Adviser for Free China;

Member, Relief for War-Affected
Rotarians Committee.
Positions held in Rotary in past:

Honorary Commissioner for China,
Hong Kong and the Philippines,
1934-35;

Governor, 8lst district, 1935-36; .

Member, Relief for War-Affected
Rotarians, 1942-43 Committee.

A Service of Thanksgiving

A Rotarian of Davenport, Iowa,
recently proposed a plan for church
services in every church or place of
worship in the United States, first,
following the peace in Europe, and
second, following the capitulation of
Japan.

Recalling the day and night of
bedlam, noise and confusion on No-
vember 11, 1918, this Rotarian feels
that when the day to which we are
all looking forward, finally arrives,
it should not be devoted to frenzied
noisemaking, but rather to giving
thanks for the victory so dearly
won. He proposes that every church,
temple or other place of worship in
the nation be open from 8:00 a.m.
until 10:00 p.m. so that people may
go there to say a prayer of thanks-
giving. He feels that special services
sponsored by laymen, in the various
churches, should be held, and the
sermon, if any, should stress the na-
tion’s part in the post-war world.

The proposed celebration should
have widespread publicity before-
hand. The author of the plan has
prepared an advertisement to be
published in the newspapers of
Davenport, announcing that a spe-
cial Thanksgiving Service will be
held in the churches of all faiths at
10:30 a.m., and inviting all citizens,
whether they be church members or
non-members to attend. Editors of
Davenport newspapers have agreed
to publish this advertisement when
the great day arrives.

The plan, originally proposed for
Davenport, has become known in
other parts of the United States and
is meeting with an enthusiastic re-
ception. Religious organizations,
service organizations, prominent
newspaper editors, clergymen, men
in public life, and others, are mani-
festing a keen interest in the pro-
posal.

It is obvious that since no one
knows when Armistice Day will
come, plans for such a Thanksgiving
Service in each community must be
in readiness so that they may be put
into effect on very short notice.

This would seem to be an idea
which would appeal to Rotary clubs
throughout the entire world, with
plans to be made, of course, in con-
formity with the customs of each
country.

Let the Community Know

It is important for clubs to keep the
public properly informed as to their gen-
eral activities and achievements. This is
not for the sake of gaining prestige for
the club, but rather to let the community
know that the Rotary club is a service
organization that stands ready at all times
to cooperate and take the lead in worth-
while community projects.

—Will W. Jackson,
Governor, District 129