THE BRITISH LEGION

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 17, 20 July 1926, Page 3

THE BRITISH LEGION

"B_.NEVOL.ENT EMPIRE"

T--_! EARL OF MEATH AND I,', LIBERTY. t'

c:n Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 2nd June,

I A; ';h- animal.conference of the Bri.W,\ j.e-jioii the vice-presidents elected were: Admiral Earl Beatty, General Sir lan Hamilton, the Earl of Derby, Admiral R.'S. Cuming, Earl Jellicoe, Admiral Sir F. C. Bridgeman, Captain E. B. B. Towse, V.C., Major-General Sir F. Maurice, Mr. D. F. Pielou, M.P., Col. J. Ward, M.P., General Lord Home, and the Hon. Viscount Lascelles. The conference passed a resolution protesting against the action of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in ap-. propriating the surplus funds of the combined Services National Health Insurance to the extent of £1,100,000. Protests wero 'made against Parliamentary candidates exploiting ex-ser-vice men by making promises and acting in the House of Commons directly opposite to the interests of the exservice men. The resolution was carried, and also another resolution expressing dissatisfaction at the way in which the Ministry of Pensions -was dealing with the question of final wards and time-limits. ' The Earl of Heath, as Father of the Empire Day Movement, hoped he might be pardoned for saying that his first thoughts rushed to tho watchwords of the movement: "Responsibility, Duty, Sympathy, Self-sacrifice." Members of the legion, he said, had fought not for what they could get for themselves, but for what they could give to others. Despite their losses no one could rob them of the glorious-feel-ing that by their courage ■ and endurance and self-sacrifice they had rescued their fellow-creatures, their country, and the world from the cruel despotism which would have resulted had the enemy been victorious in the world struggle of 1914-1918. We were the envy of all other nations. But we should make it our business to know all about our own people and Empire. "The British Empire," ho added, "is the true League of Nations and is the greatest power for civilisation and moral good in the world, next to the Christian Church. It is the most benevolent Empire the world has known. It has been built up chiefly by exploration and colonisation. I am not ignorant of its defeg.s; they are many and serious. But I have travelled widely and I know that there are worse defects to be found abroad and in a more aggravated form than here. I ask you to join in the rallying cry of the" Empire Day movement: 'For God, Duty, and Empire.' " (Cheers.) Next year's conference will be held in London.