RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22073, 22 April 1937, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION

TO Till BDITOB OF TUB PKIM. Sir,—l wish on behalf of my supporters to give my reason for retiring from the presidential election of the Returned Soldiers' Association. Before I decided to contest the election I approached Mr W. E. Leadley to find out what he was going to do inrfthe matter, as I pointed out to him that if he was seeking election it was not my wish to oppose him.Mr Leadley assured me that, he was not standing on account of family reasons, and advised me to have a go, at the same time assuring me of his support. Three weeks went by, then Mr Leadley approached me with regard to a deputation waiting on him to stand for the presidency. I reminded Mr Leadley of his promise, and he said, "My nomination paper will remain in my pocket, and when the names come out mine won't be amongst them." The evening of that day Mr Leadley nominated me and Mr Mewton seconded the nomination. The next day Mr Leadley informed me that he had changed his mind and had decided to stand. The day after Mr Leadley's decision, a gentleman came to me and said that he was the cause of Mr Leadley's standing for the presidency, and said that, when Mr Leadley made a promise to me that he was not a candidate he was under the impression that Mr Priddis was seeking re-electiort, and it would not have been good policy on Mr Leadley's part to oppose Mr Priddis, because, being a member of the Labour Party, to be defeated would have lowered his prestige. So I made the remark, "Political." My supporters and others will quite understand my action in withdrawing from the election.—Yours, etc., E. ORCHARD.

April 21, 1937. [Mr Leadley, when this letter was referred to him yesterday, said: "Mr Orchard's letter is full of inaccuracies. I have never at any time given him a pledge that I would support him. I freely admit that I stated to all members of the executive that it was not my intention to contest the election for the presidency, and I was sincere in my statement for that time. However, a great deal of pressure was brought to bear on me before the closing of nominations, and, finally, in response to the deputation, I acceded to their request to stand. Mr Orchard's attempt to bring politics into the question can only be regarded as ah attempt to discredit me on the eve of the election, in the eyes of certain members. The Returned Soldiers' Association, has always been a nonpolitical organisation, and I hope it will always remain so."]