Business: Rotarians

By automobile and airplane, by train and on foot, some 12,500 Rotarians arrived in Minneapolis last week to attend the 19th annual convention of Rotary International. Rotarians from Czechoslovakia or other strange places were welcomed in their own tongue by means of painted placards whose wording was the result of much Minneapolis scholarship. Four and a half thousand autos were used to carry the Rotarians about the city; 80 typists copied registration lists so that no Rotarian might remain unnoticed. Before long all the Rotarians gathered in the municipal auditorium, second largest in the U. S., third in the world, and listened to speeches, notably one by Governor Theodore Christianson of Minnesota, who said slyly:

“The Sinclair Lewises, the Lardners and the Menckens may continue to direct their shafts against our organization and others founded on the same principles. Ridicule is the weapon … of a poor cause. They may continue to talk about Babbitry and scorn the Rotarian virtues but Rotary International will be known and honored long after Minnesota’s much-read but not particularly distinguished expatriate has been found out as the shallow, superficial, overestimated literary cartoonist that he is.”

When the cheering ceased, the Rotarians listened to the principal speech of the evening, by James Hamilton Lewis, onetime (1913-19) U. S. Senator from Illinois. This Lewis praised Rotary, praised

Europe, characterized the U. S. as one of the greatest influences toward international brotherhood and as “that great, great republic which has inspired free government of the earth to fight for freedom of man.”

He said: “To you, ambassadors of world honor, and knights of sublime service, this United States gives you the hand of its heart. . . .”

The Rotarians roared lustily at this and proceeded to other diversions such as listening to the music of the 50-piece Sauk Centre Boys’ Band whose members range in age from seven to fifteen. They toured the city in cars and busses, played baseball and golf, attended the movies, and witnessed a pageant which traced the growth of Rotary from the time 24 years ago when it originated in the mind of one Paul P. Harris, Chicago lawyer, to the present when it has 140,000 members from 44 countries.

In the Municipal Auditorium once more they heard what Nils Parmann, banker from Oslo, Norway, a new brother, had to say, viz.:

“I was a man of very retiring disposition. Now I expect to make friends by the thousands from now on. I had disliked travel, avoided crowds and hated conventions, but Rotary is changing me.”

Instead of sitting spellbound or humming they stood up bravely and shouted out the words of songs when they were lead by Homer Rodeheaver, who has been for 18 years musical assistant to Evangelist Billy Sunday. He likes to be thought of as the introducer and exploiter of Negro spirituals.

They listened to the words of Dr. Wilhelm Cuno, onetime (1922-23) Chancellor of the German Republic and Chairman of the Hamburg-American Line, who said “unselfish service would bring about world unity.” Rotarians were proudly aware that Dr. Cuno had last winter organized the first Rotary unit in Germany. Bolivia, Paraguay and Ecuador as well had joined the rank of Rotary-possessing countries during the last twelvemonth, and Rotarians welcomed their representatives last week.

Then, after attending to miscellaneous business, they took up the somewhat melancholy task of selecting a new president for Rotary. Israel Bird Sutton’s was the only name placed in nomination and he was elected by acclamation. Born in Saginaw, Mich., he has lived in Mexico for the last 26 years, where he is in the hardware business. He has two sons and four daughters who speak Spanish habitually; he helped to organize the Rotary Club of Mexico City; he is married to a Mexican. He is widely known among the members of his organization, who call him “Tom.” Mr. Sutton replaced Rotary’s famed President Arthur H. Sapp.

While the Rotarians were hobnobbing at Minneapolis, the Kiwanians assembled in annual convention. What is the difference between them? Both have the same ideas of service in business. But Rotary is International, while Kiwanis admits only U. S. and Canadian members, because it believes in unity of language and unity of the democratic ideal. Last week, Kiwanians elected O. S. Cummings of Kansas City president to succeed hard-hitting Henry C. Heinz of Atlanta, Ga.