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 The 9th Convention, Kansas City, MO  - June 24-28 with 4,145 in attendance

Leslie Pidgeon, Winnipeg. One of the founders of Rotary in Canada.

 

President's home page

 

Election results from 1918

Provided by Dr. Wolfgang Ziegler,

Rotary Global History August 2003

The Win the War Convention

Attendance rose by over 50% at the Convention with 4,034 individuals registered for the Convention and 367 clubs represented. Membership growth had risen by over 6,200 in the last year. The largest attendance in Kansas City occurred when Sir Harry Lauder entertained potential new Rotarians in a crowd of some 13,000.

President Leslie Pidgeon, the first non-U. S. President, in a wonderfully crafted speech addressed the convention on "Rotary as a living force".

Paul Harris did not attend but (yet again) sent his message. Almost always, secretary Chesley Perry read it out to the Convention. Harris told delegates that there were 3 very available ways for Rotary to project its influence out into the non-Rotarian world. Firstly, by the elimination of all except general interest matter from the columns of 'The Rotarian', making of it a messenger of service and by the adoption of the usual means of increasing its circulation among magazine readers in general. Secondly, by the development of the vocational section plan to a point of real efficiency. Thirdly, by holding club meetings to which the public are invited.

Harris concluded his address by writing, "If it is to be the part of Rotary to educate the individual, then in very truth it may be said that Rotarians shall be leaders of men".

The war tones echoed throughout the Convention, often described as the War Convention. Under the title of "Men who are making the world safe for Democracy", the jingoistic language, perhaps understandably, became more evident.

Here's an extract from Past President Mulholland's speech- "We and our allies are fighting the Hun. We are fighting the worst enemy that ever stalked down on helpless women and subjected them to the abuses of half crazed savages. We are fighting the worst enemy that ever cut off the hands of little children, mutilated prisoners of war and murdered civilians".

 Portrait of Woodrow WilsonPresident Woodrow Wilson sent Secretary Perry a letter in which he paid tribute to Rotary's war time service. "The service rendered by your organization in this time of national stress has been very great". The Secretary of War also paid tribute to Rotary's "assistance and co-operation…made necessary by the war…"

Rotarians also endorsed the idea of meditating and praying at 11 am each day for the success of the Allies in the war!

The Rotary Endowment Fund stood at $56.50 in the bank with Interest gained of $1.29 giving a total as at 30th June 1918 of a massive $57.79!

Other important events at Kansas City saw a discussion on the idea of more than one Rotary Club in a city. New York was allowed to become the exception to the rule in the U.S with a club for each of its five boroughs.

Another important development saw Rotary fighting in the courts with the Rotary Shirt Company of New York over the Rotary emblem. The International Association would win the case in 1919.

Calum Thomson
 

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