BOYS OF THE WORLD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5034, 1 October 1926, Page 3

BOYS OF THE WORLD.

PLEA FOB GUIDANCE, AN IDEAL FOR ROTARIANS. “To the men of Rotary thei world round, greetings. In handing you this brief message of welcome it it my privilege and my pleasure to be spokesman for all the bdys of the world —North, - South, East, and West, of every colour, creed, and class, apd of every nation under the sun. On this momentous occasion of your seventeenth Rotary International Convention I come to voce just one mighty, dynamic, world-stirring thought—and could I but make, you, here assembled •in this great international gathering of the world’s most representative men, accept my message, this would go down in history as a new day for the world. I come to voice, on behalf of all the boys everywhere,. this; one mighty, thundering thought. Bdys are the hope of the world —our hoys, American boys, and all the boys of the nations under the sun. Do you wish to make dn actuality of your world brotherhood idealism ? Then plant wrld-wide the 'thought in the heart of youth. Do you hunger for an era Of universal peace ? Then in world-wide fashion train the boys in tolerance, mutual regard, and service. Do you wish to reduce crime and delinquency round the earth to the irreducible minimum ? Then awaken to the Adequate spiritual and moral training of youth. Here we stand, a million of us, eager, receptive, open-minded, capable—as yet unspoiled by narrow prejudice and narrow bigotry—certain beyond any shadow of a doubt to mature and do what this generation of men plants in our boyish hearts and imaginations. Why seek longer here, there, and everywhere for doubtful solutions to vexed problems of mankind, when here we stand—the boys of all the world —plastic in your hands, longing, eager to fulfil your dreams of a better world ajid seal our destiny ; We plead with you to-day for 'leadership, for guidance, for a training in all the things adequate for the modern day. Men of Rotary, go home to the very corners of the earth, ■with this my message ringing in your ears, until you and your people shall be driven td accept it—boys are the hope of the world.” Such was the message delivered by Chares Bowes (a 15-ye.ar-od boy and a captain of the Highander Boys—an organisation in Denver similar to the Boy Scouts) to the Rotarian delegates at the recent international ci.nventipn in America, and handed on to the Rotarians bf Wellington on Monday by Mr H. Amos. "I wish Charles; Bowes we,re here td deliver that to you himself,” said Mr Amos. “You would never forget it.”