ROTARIANS URGED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 77, 24 January 1947, Page 7

ROTARIANS URGED

MOULD PUBLIC OPINION SUPPORT OF U.N.O. I 1 A plea for Rotarians to concern themselves mainly with vocational service during the coming' year, to work to improve employer-employee relations and to mould public opinion to the support of UNO and Unesco was made by Mr W. B. Tennant, District Governor of the 52nd district of Rotary International in an address at a luncheon of the Rotary Club of Wanganui. Stating that the vocational service aim of Rotary had the object of improving the ethical standards in business relationship between I buyer and seller, employer and employee and between business rivals, Mr Tennant quoted the remarks of a past leader of Rotary in New ZeaI land who said that the trouble with employers was that they were always on the defensive. They waited until employees came to them with ] a list of grievances or demands and then attempted to settle as cheaply as possible. He urged that most of the difficulty would be removed if employers made an effort to find in what way conditions and relations could be improved, and acted first.

American Rift He had been seriously disturbed on his recent trip to America, Mr Tennant continued, to see the serious rift between employer and employee. He had left the United States concerned over the extent of the rift and hoped that strong men would ai’ise who would bridge the frightening difference. “I don’t think that there is a great deal of time left,” he added. “However I hope that some strong men * may yet arise.” He told the meeting of men whom he had met who were employed by huge organisations purely to foster employer-employee relations. One of these had told him of'four things which he asked employers to write whenever faced with difficulty. These were the answers to four questions and the knowledge gained from them had been of considerable assistance. He asked employers to write carefully and exactly a complete explanation of the organisational pattern of their business, a clear definition of the functions, authority and responsibility of everyg member of their staff, the ob- | jectives set for every worker and the development of a plan for achievement. The answ r er to these four qpestions provided a solution or a basis for understanding of most difficulties. Compliment to Rotary Speaking of UNO and Unesco, Mr Tennant said that Rotary had been paid a considerable compliment when it was asked to provide advisers and observers for these two organisations. Rotarians might ask what they, some many miles from the centre of decision, do to assist. “In a modem democracy leaders will lead but they will not drive,” he explained. “They will lead only as far as public opinion will let them. We have a job to mould public opinion. “The freedom and democracy for which the war was fought can survive only if UNO becomes a reality in which nations may work out their problems,” the speaker continued. He told the meeting that Rotarians must assist in breaking down the prejudice that existed against the organisation and against working with some of the member nations.

“I am not suggesting that Rotary should become involved in the poli-

tics and litigations of these two great organisations. However, we are indissolubly linked with them if we are to be true to the policy of Rotary. We have to stand foursquare behind them,” he stated. “I ask that this year you dedicate your lives to moulding public opinion along the lines of these two great organisations,” Mr Tennant concluded. “I’m sure that, if you do, you will feel that you have made an important contribution, not for yourselves but for your fellow men and those dear ones who follow them, to the hope of all—world peace.”