ROYAL EMPIRE SOCIETY

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26120, 24 May 1950, Page 9

ROYAL EMPIRE SOCIETY

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

COMMONWEALTH’S MORAL STRENGTH “To-day the peace of the world remains threatened,” said the chairman of the Royal Empire Society, London (Admiral of the Fleet Lord Chatfield), in an Empire Day message. “International clouds oppress us and dictatorship is striving to force others under its rule. Nations have still to arm themselves, as th. / have for centuries,/ to prepare to save themselves from the ambitions of others. “One bright light relieves the darkness—the British Empire and Commonwealth—whose course points a way to the evolution of a stable and peaceful world,” said Lord Chatfield. “It is not the political strength of that widespread organisation, still less its military strength from which the human race can glean some hope, but from its moral strength as a power for good in the world. “The spirit of the nations comprising the British Commonwealth is that they should not need to fear aggression from each ether nor to prepare to fight , each other,” said Lord Chatfield. “They have not created a security council, for they have determined to resolve . their differences peacefully. Though {scattered over the world, and composed i of millions of people of different races. , different historical backgrounds, differ- . ent creeds, they have as members of the British Commonwealth and Empire ' bound themselves to live together in • peace and friendship; “Let each of us. on this Empire Day, once again resovle to dedicate ourI selves to the service of our great ' family of nations, to strengthen the spiritual ties which unite us and so blaze a trail for humanity to follow* out of the darkness of our time.”

MESSAGE FROM EARL GOWRIE CHANGED ATTITUDE TO COLONIES “Our concept of the British Empire has greatly changed . since the celebration of an annual Empire Day was first proposed in 1902,” said Earl Gowrie, a former Governor-General of Australia, in an Empire Day message. “For many, too many years, we, at home, have taken the Colonial dependencies for granted. We knew vaguely of their existence, but lew troubled to find out much about them, few even knew accurately their geographical position,” said Earl Gowvie. “In the last few decades there has been a real change of attitude —a change stimulated bv the recent war and the ensuing economic crisis. A far more intelligent interest is now taken in the colonies, and this was fully proved, if proof fo*ere necessary, by the success of the Colonial Month (organised by the Colonial Office during/ the summer of 1949) when the size of the crowds who thronged the exhibition exceeded all expectations. People now know where these territories lie, and how* each differs from the other climatically, racially, economically. Moreover, we are beginning to understand that the w*ellbeing of the Commonwealth and Empire depends as much on the health and prosperity of each as on the cooperation of all the partners that make up this wonderful chain of Englishspeaking peoples. • “As you know, various factors have forged strong personal links; on the one hand, troops from Britain who served overseas during the war made friends, and have thus learnt, at first hand, of the life and conditions abroad. On the other hand, soldiers, visitors and students in increasing numbers have come from the Dominions and Colonies t see and learn from the Mother Country—the heart of this unique family of nations. “The story of that family, of its growth and development, is an enthralling one: for it is an outstanding experiment in harmonious living made by oeoples of many races, from different backgrounds and in varying stages of civilisation,” concluded Earl Gowrie.