Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1924. THE FIRM OF "JOHN BULL."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10163, 18 July 1924, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1924. THE FIRM OF "JOHN BULL."

That old Scotch saying, "Every niickle makes a muckle," may aptly be applied to the various conferences which have been taking place in the Mother Country subsidiary to the great Exhibition at Wembley. Two are proceeding at the moment — the League of Empire Educational Conference and an Empire Advertising Convention. The Dominions are represented at both. As there is a certain amount of publicity in connection with oach of these Empire gatherings —they are no more and no less —the needs and potentialities of the Dominions may be expected in the aggregate to receive a considerable fillip.

Advertising 1 lias become a powerful medium of sale and exchange; it is part of that new science known as salesmanship. In the United States salesmanship is_ a fetish. The great commercial concerns of that country realise that just as the price of Admiralty is eternal vigilance,

so the price of commercial security and progress is persistent advertising. The latter has developed into a great and powerful business force, has acquired a dignity of its own, and is to-day a highly organised and special service. The Advertising Convention at present in session at Wembley should give point to the necessity for advertising the Empire and in the Empire. Advertising has sold soap, "dishes to set before a King," it has brought health to thousands. It has been discovered as the "missing link" between

(industry and the great public. It should be used in the service of Empire, in enlarging and broadening our ideas as to the meaning of those terms —"The Empire for the British," "Produced Within The Empire," "Trade WithinThe Empire," etc. Though produced in the wake of the most

tremendous of wars, the Wembley Exhibition, setting out the resources and achievements of the. British Commonwealth of Nations, will rank as a leader among the greatest facts of its kind in histoiy. Wembley is an advertisement of the extent and variety, the skill and strength, and the endurance and power of i the Britains, so impressive, that

it is far from inconceivable that

in sight of it all memory of our political blunders and troubles will be wiped out of mind and our greatness and glory be generally hailed as surpassing far the earlier pictures upon i which our original renown and influence were founded.

It would, however, be a grave mistake if Britain should be content to let even so superb an advertisement rest there. It needs to be followed up throughout the world with all enterprise and energy. The most urg'ent need of the hour is to bring home to all : the nations, in the midst of their homes and activities, that the ancient and famous Finn of John Bull is " still to be found at the old stand and going as strong as ever!"