EMPIRE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 12, 14 July 1931, Page 7

EMPIRE DAY

THE LONDON DINNER

INSPIRING SPEECHES

WELFARE OF NATIONS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 29th May.

: Over three hundred guests attended the Empire Bay Dinner held at the Connaught Rooms on 21st May. Unfortunately, the Duke of Connaught (president of tho Boyal Empire Society) was unable to be present. Colonel Sir "Weston Jarvis, who presided in his absence,' said that tho Duke desired a message, to be conveyed to the society. He; thought tho time had come when they should consider whether they ought, somehow or other, to coordinate the various societies which were doing the same kind of work for tho Empire. He stated that ho was receiving a great many letters showing how those organisations overlapped, and he was most anxious that they should be brought under the same umbrella. Such an umbrella, lie added, could not be better or more waterproof than the Boyal Empire Society. Sir Thomas' and Lady Wilford were tb have been present, but the High Commissioner had not been well enough during the week to .attend any evening function. Other New Zealandcrs present were Sir James Mills', Colonel N. S. Falla, Mrs.'Palla, and Mr. Paul Falla, Mr. G. Holdsworth, and the Hon. Mrs. G. Holdsworth, and Mr. H. J. Beswick. Among messages sent from branches were three from New Zealand.:—

Canterbury Branch.—"Empire Day message received.' Canterbury branch sends cordial greetings, best wishes for continued, progress and wclfaro of the parent society." Gisborne. —"Felicitations. Let us, on each anniversary of Empire Day—■ with charity,, and without enmity—rcdedicate ourselves to high purpose, so there bo no lessening in ideals, no slackening in endeavour, but that we go forward courageously and .confidently to make more.glorious tho dwelling places and destiny of our race." Wellington.—"On behalf or" the Wellington district members of the Royal ' Empire Society wo send you our cordial "greetings on the occasion <:b£ the annual banquet to be held on 21st May, which function will record another successful year of the socioty's activities. We tender you our best wishes for the continued welfare of tho speiety in ' its good work for the Empire." > LORD JELLICOE'S SPEECH. • 'Admiral of the Fleet Earl Jellicoe (president of the Empire, Day Movement) proposed the.toast of'"United Empire." While the fact of belonging to this great Empire conferred upon, constituent members: many benefits and privileges, he said, it also placed upon all the responsibility of ensuring its continued life and progress so that it might carry out its destiny. There were, of course, misguided people who cannot be brought to realise the infinite advantages which membership of • a great Empire conferred upon them and npon the world in general, people who would jn their short-sightedness betray the trust placed upon them and let the Empire fall to pieces.

This would, of course, result in each constituent member of the Empire being lowered to ihe position of a small nation. Were that to happen : there could bo no doubt whatevor that the world as a whole would suffer, for the Empire stood for all that was best in civilisation, and so long as it was united and strong could work for the good of mankind in general. No one could honestly deny that the might and strength of the British Empire had More than; once been the deciding'factor in upholding a just cause, in protecting the weak from tyranny and oppression, and-that, those who lived under its flag enjoyed freedom and were sure of justice.. For these reasons they should all be-intensely proud of what had been accomplished in the past, and go forward determined to strengthen the ties which bound together the different portions of this great federation, the Mother Country, our Dominions, Colonies,' and Dependencies, so that the Empire could in its strength continue its beneficent work for mankind..

The Great War gave magnificent proof of the unity of the Empire, and it was the strength born of that unity which took us a long way on the road to victory.

The Dominions and Overseas possessions sent their splendid manhood to help the Mother Country in the hour of Her need; who can forget that noble response? It as surely our duty to soo that it is never forgotten, and is not thrown away. ~ WILL TOE VICTORY. . "It is unfortunately the fact," continued Lord Jellicoe, "that the' whole Empire is passing through most difficult times no|-, but if tho difficulties are faced in the same spirit of unity and determination with which they were confronted in the years 1914-1918, the prospects of their being overcome are infinitely greater than if each constituent portion of the Empire treads its own path irrespective of their brethren elsewhere. "What is needed again is 'the will for victory,' and tho leadership to bring victory.■ "This is not tho place, nor am I the person, to discuss the exact methods by which the prevailing trade depression can be overcome so that commercial prosperity is restored and work found for our millions of unemployed. It is, however, quite certain that in the present crisis we should all pull together in a spirit of comradeship. It was done during the war, and can bo done again, although I fear it must bo admitted that it is not an easy matter to get people with different political views to pull together in comradeship. It is necessary, too, for the nation to realise that to compete successfully with other nations we- must put our hacks into our work. We shall have, too, to make some sacrifices, and make them in< the snmc willing spirit, with which far greater sacrifices were made, duriiig the war. "Abovo all, it is essential that there should ha no weakening of tho spirit of virile manhood which made the Empire what it is. I do see signs of this. Empires in the past havo gone under because their peoples becanio soft. There are other reasons, too, such as the growth of a spirit of selfishness and luxury, a want of public spirit, a dislike of discipline, and the absence of a sense of duty. Let us be careful to avoid such weakening influences. EEDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS. "Empires in the past, too, have gone under because their defensive forces wore allowed •to decrease below the essential limit. Is it certain that the British Empiro is not running great danger in this direction? In the desire to.lead the way in n reduction of armaments throughout' the world, tho Empiro has beyond all question -reduced its forces to a very low limit of strength. So far as navies are concerned, it is an undoubted fact that it is the British Empire alone which has constantly and consistently effected reductions in strength since the conclusion of the war. In the case of every one of our Allies, .there has been an advance in relative naval strength and that advance is continuing to-day. We alone have, Tednced, and reduced to a level which, gives, at any rate, to those

who heltl responsible posts during the war, very great anxiety as to tho future, and wo are continuing to reduce. "Much tho same may bo said in regard to the sister services, the Army and Air Force, but it is the Navy upon which we depend for our vital sea communications, and it is therefore the strength and efficiency of that service. ■Hhieh is of such supreme importance to the Empire." THE CROWN COLONIES. Dr. Drummond Shields (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for tho Colonies) in the course of his reply, referred especially to the colonies. They were, he said, often too lightly disposed of on an occasion of this kind, and lie was glad of tho opportunity of reminding them of their importance. They had in tho Colonial Empire two million square miles of territory, a population of between fifty and sixty millions' of people, and a present trade of £500,000,000 a year. The Colonial Office was in correspondence with about fifty different Governments, whose lands were full of romance and beauty, and were the' homes' of some of tlio most interesting peoples in the world. All was not, however, romance and beaify, ,and tho problems which worried them and us were economic, social, and political. Like other countries, the colonies had experienced the wave of world depression. The condition of the native producers, for example, in "West Africa, and in other parts of Africa, had given cause for serious concern. The ]iVest Indies and Mauritius . have suffered greatly by the serious condition of tho sugar industry. The position of rubber, copra, and other colonial productions had made painful readjustments necessary in many of the overseas territories.

The colonies had not escaped the political restlessness which had come upon the would since the war. Constitutions, some of them admittedly archaic, required readjustment, and more than over before political questions were assuming importance.

It was well that they had during these last two "years tlu> Colonial Development Fund, which had enabled work on railway construction and other public works and on public health, to be undertaken which would have been beyond the resources of the local Governments and which had also given employment to this country.

"AVo must look to tho future," Dr. Shields concluded. "We cannot afford to let things develop either economically or politically in tho haphazard fasKion of older days. I trust that our absorption in the urgent and important matters of domestic politics will not prevent our concentration on thobig and difficult problems of our colonial Empire/ on the successful solution of which depends the happiness of a varied and important section of the peoples of the world." '

Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland, M.P., submitted the toast of "Workers in. the Empire Cause/ and said that when he looked at the present generation of such workers he saw no cause for despair or pessimism.

Admiral Sir Dudley De Chair (late Governor of New South Wales), who responded, said that although Australia was passing through deep waters,' he was sure that the common-sense of the people would override and overcome the depression.

Colonel Sir Wcston Jarvis responded.