THE BRITISH LEGION.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17812, 11 July 1923, Page 11

THE BRITISH LEGION.

THE VALUE OF COMRADESHIP. JUSTICE FOR MEN WHO FOUGHT (raou our ovrcr correspondent.) LONDON, June 1. Over 800 delegates attended the annual conference of the British Legion, at whoso opening session the Prince of Wales was present. A minute's silence was observed, all standing, in memory of gallant comrades who fell in the war. In his review of the work for the past year Earl Haig mentioned that during 1922 nearly two new branches per day had been established, so that there were now 2089, some of which fortunately had set up their own employment committees, and so were doing splendid work. Through the instrumentality of the League more than 10,000 men had been found work last year. The employment machinery of the Legion was now well known to all employers, and it was working in harmony with the Ministry of Labour. This was most important, as it was essential to co-operate with and not to fight Government Departments. During the year the Legion's pensions work had resulted in a lessening of worries and an increase of happiness for 250,000 persons. With regard to emigration close co-operation existed between th-3 Legion and the British Empire Services League. In the Dominions relief had been given to many old comrades who had emigrated and fallen ou evil days. Any member of tho Legion who emigrated to one of the Dominions was given a recommendation to the corresponding ex-Service Men's Society in his future home, so that on landing ho was welcomed by friends, and everything was done to give him a good start. Work ofj that kind, which was being developed by the headquarters of tho Legion, brought home to them the value of comradeship. The Prince of Wales felt that any extension of the League should now be in the direction of strengthening existing branches, and of rounding up

and bringing in as many as possible ex-Service clubs and organisations outside tho Union; in that way tho British Legion would become a real big means of helping ex-Service men and their dependants, and of safeguarding widows and orphans. "As an organisation," continued the Prince, "the Legion occupies a unique position, 'and its power for doing good should bo unlimited. We have our many branches at Home and in tho Dominions, which are well-known to ull of us who live in the Empire, but the work of the branches in foreign coun tries is not so well-known at Home. With Lord Haig I recently visited -the branch of the Legion in Brussels, and since then I have realised that our branches in the big foreign cities are fast becoming the focus of British life and enterprise wherever they happen to be. They form very valuable centres, and are a splendid jumping-off place for the re-establishment of British trade throughout the world. I am .not going to enlarge on tlie spirit of comradeship. Wo all know that this spirit pervaded all of us Britishers during the war. Without that spirit the Empire would not be what it is, and despite what some people think and say, I maintain that this spirit is alive in. our country to-day. There is nothing that can'strengthen and encourage such a spirit as this conference. I have just returned from a few days in Belgium and France. I expect some of you have visited tho battlefields since the war, and seen some of those places which were pretty unpleasant at times, and have also seen those terrible but magnificent cemeteries out on, the other side. I think that a visit 1 like that gives one a tremendous feeling and bring 3 home to one what was, and what is to-day, the spirit of comradeship." The Conference passed a motion, learning with Satisfaction that a ing of international experts was being held under the auspices of the League of Nations at the International Labour Office to study the question of the. industrial future of the disabled man, and placing on record its adherence to the principles of the League of Nations. At the Cenotaph. Four thousand members of the Legion assembled on the Horses Guafds Parade and marched to the Cenotaph, where was drawn up the Band of the Irish Guards in fuil dress, the Dean of Westminster and |he clergy, as well as all the members of the Abbey choir in scarlet cassocks. The brief memorial service, conducted by Dr. Ryle, included the hymns, "O, God, Our Help in Ages Past," and "All People that on Earth do Dwell," led by the band; tho unaccompanied anthem, "The Souls of the Righteous," in which the voices of the choristers sounded very impressive in the open air; special prayers for "the peoples over whom Thy servant George our King ia Sovereign," and'"that all we who here do honour to the memory of our dead brethren's sacrifice may be filled with the spirit of their love and courage";' and the 16th century prayer often heard at memorial services in the Abbey, "O Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life." "'While the great crowd stood motionless, the bugle 3 of the Irish Guards .sounded the "Last Post" and "Reveille," and the ceremony closed with the National Anthem, in which everyone joined. The Prince of Wales then laid a wreath of laurels and Flanders poppies, bound with red, white, and blue ribbons, on the Ceno-

taplj, add Princess Alice, who was aC* > companied by the Earl of Athlojw, placed one on behalf -of the Wonidii.< > -,■■ ■ M- ' Bertrand also deposited a wreath, y, The Prince , was loudly cheered by the \ crowd of over 10,000 spectators as ho ;', left the scene, and the bells of 'the t ' Abbey rang out a poal. Generals Almost Starving. r * ■ Lord.Haig presided at a Legion, dinner, and said all classes were Buffeting j> hardship. He. knew admirals, generals, f i >\ ? and other officers almost starving, ready , , >■ to take any kind of a job. "I knQvr of. a colonel who only told xne he had to sell his clothes to help His, v, £ family." Gallant soldiers who eared/, Europe, he declared, were now "jfot* ] J* ting in their rags." > ~ ' g-?, Last year the sale of poppies oil Jtfth vember 11th brought in over &200fi0ty.y-. -t-A and this -year it is hoped to surpass (" that effort. "The Times." appeals. the Great "War Remembrance League, which, as Lord Haig said, is "lire. On-'these two sources the ' lent worlc of the .Legion mainly dfpends, and it. is for the great,mass, of the general public to see that the«tot&l V/ of £321,000 raised last year is pubstantially increased. ' i l. , '