May Meeting of the R.I. Board

Under the leadership of President
Charlie Wheeler, 11 members of the
R.I. board spent May 16 and 17 con-
sidering more than seventy impor-
tant items which had come from all
parts of the world. A number of de-
cisions of the board have appeared
in the Convention Daily Bulletin
and in the last issue of the News
Letter. Additional decisions will ap-
pear in subsequent issues of the

News Letter as independent items.

A summary of other important
decisions is presented in the follow-
ing paragraphs:

“A Wartime Challenge”

Because varying interpretations have

been given in different countries to the _

Wartime Challenge, issued by the board
of R.I. in 1942-43, and political significance
has been attached thereto which was not
intended, the board deemed it desirable
that the position be restated. Below is
given the restatement in full:

In view of the fact that the term “private
enterprise’’ is given entirely different con-
notations and implications by those living
under different political systems, and
meanings have been attributed to that
terms as used in the “Wartime Challenge”
which were not intended, the board re-
affirms absolutely the basic principles
stated in Article IX of the standard club
constitution entitled “Avoidance of Poli-
tics,’’ and has never at any time intended
to take any action which might be con-
strued as contrary thereto.

The board is in entire accord with the
viewpoint that a cardinal principle of Ro-
tary is that Rotary International is and
must continue to be non-sectarian and
non-political.

It reaffirms the obligation of Rotarians
to do everything possible to promote high
ethical standards in all businesses and
professions, the recognition of the worthi-
ness of all useful occupations; and the
dignifying by each Rotarian of his occu-
pation as an opportunity to serve society.

The board further approves and en-
dorses the decision of the Aims and Ob-
jects Committee of R.I. at its meeting of
February, 1944, a portion of which reads
as follows:

The Aims and Objects Com-
mittee of Rotary International expresses
its deep concern lest some Rotarians or

_ Rotary Clubs inadvertently embarrass

Rotary International and injure its ef-

fectiveness throughout the world by

actions which are beyond the legitimate
scope of Rotary activities, and therefore
urges each Rotary Club to observe and

conform to the provisions of Article IX

of the standard club constitution.

Rotary and Famine Relief

The board reiterated its decision made
at its June, 1942 meeting, wherein the
board expressed sympathy with any pro-
posal to bring relief to distressed human-
ity through the supplying of clothes, food,
and other necessities, but wherein the
board recognized that this was a matter
which the Allied Governments were

studying, and expressed the belief that
they could be relied upon at the earliest
possible moment to take steps to alleviate
suffering among distressed peoples, there-
by making acts by R.I. undesirable, since
by multiplication of effort, the aims of the
respective governments might be retarded
rather than assisted.

In that decision the board pointed out,
in addition, that Rotary clubs are autono-
mous and, accordingly, may take such
action as circumstances prescribe. The
board expressed its confidence that,-when
general relief measures have been taken
throughout the world, Rotary clubs so
disposed will find opportunities of sup-
plementing what has been done officially
by the governments.

The board reiterated also its stand taken
at its July, 1942, meeting wherein the
board recognized that numerous agencies
are in existence to handle the promotion
of various campaigns to supply humani-
tarian aid and equipment and, because of
this, and the large number of such cam-
paigns that are continually developing, the

_ board expressed the belief that R.I. should

not ally itself with such movements.

Length of International Assembly
The board agreed that, if at all possible,
the international assembly in 1945 and in
subsequent years should be of a week’s
duration and be so set up as to give the
maximum amount of Rotary education,
instruction in administrative duties, and
fellowship to those in attendance.

Obligations Due R.I.

It was agreed that the provisions of Sec-
tion 2 of Article II of the by-laws of R.1.,
relating to non-payment of obligations to
RI. by Rotary clubs, shall be strictly
enforced as provided in the procedure
established by the board, viz.:

1. The secretary will send a registered let-
ter to each club which fails to make its
per capita tax payment within the three
months period calling attention to the
by-law concerning termination of mem-
bership for non-payment;

2. Copy of this letter will go to the district
governor with an appeal for his cooper-
ation in

_ (a) effecting immediate payment;

(b) or, where immediate payment is im-
possible but early future payment
likely, recommending an extension
of time;

(c) or, where payment within the one
year appears impossible, recom-
mending cancellation of the in-
debtedness, provided that he con-
siders the club worth saving.

3.If an extension of time is granted for
less than one year from due date and
the club fails to pay within the period
of extension, follow out again the pro-
cedure outlined in the foregoing steps.

4. If the extension of time has been grant-
ed up to one year from due date, the
secretariat will send a registered letter
to the club, with a copy to the governor,
to reach the club early enough to serve
as a final warning of the early expira-

tion of the maximum period allowed for
payment and the necessity, under the
by-laws, for terminating the member-
ship of the club if the payment is not
received before the expiration of that
period.

5. A period of grace amounting to 30 days
after the expiration of the one year
period shall be allowed.

6. At the close of the 30 days grace, the
secretary of R.I. will declare the mem-
bership of the club as having termi-
nated.

7. The secretary will then send a regis-
tered letter to the club confirming the
termination of its membership and ask-
ing for the return of the charter (via
the district governor) a copy of this
letter to go to the district governor with
special instructions, if any are neces-
sary, in connection with taking up the
charter and returning it to the secre-
tariat.

Pamphlet on “The Post-War
Work Pile”

The board authorized the printing of a
sufficient number of copies of the pam-
phlet entitled “The Post-War Work Pile”
by Member Roy A. Plumb of the R.I. Post-
War Committee for distribution of one
copy to each Rotary club in the world and
to each R.I. officer.

Reserve for Contingencies
of the Magazine

The board rescinded its action taken in
May, 1943, wherein provision was made
for setting up a reserve for contingencies
for “The Rotarian” and “Revista Rotaria,”
and authorized the magazine committee
to establish a reserve for contingencies
under the following plan:

(a) The net excess of income over expense
of the various editions of the official
magazine of R.I. shall be set aside at
the end of each fiscal year as a Reserve
for Contingencies, which shall be ac-
cumulative annually until such time
as the total of said Reserve fund shall
amount to ten percent of the consoli-
dated magazine income as shown by
the final audit of each fiscal year. All
excess of income over expense above
that required for the said Reserve shall
be credited to the general surplus of
RI.

(b) If at the end of any fiscal year the
Reserve is in excess of ten percent of
the total consolidated income of the
magazine, the Reserve shall be re-
duced to ten percent of the total in-
come.

(c) This Reserve for Contingencies shall
be available to the magazine commit-
tee for use in meeting exigencies com-
mon to publishing enterprises and for
the publication and improvement of
the magazine.

(d) If a part or all of this Reserve for
Contingencies is expended in a fiscal
year the Reserve shall be restored to
the limit prescribed in Section (a) out
of the first available excess of income
over expense of the magazine.