BRITISH LEGION

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 8, 9 July 1935, Page 7

BRITISH LEGION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE'

PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, June 15.

Last Sunday was British Legion Sunday and the annual conference opened at the Queen's Hall in the morning. In the afternoon 15,000- ex-servicemen, with 600 standard-.banners, were on parade round the Cenotaph for the annual, service. '''.'.' ■ ■ . Major-General Sir Frederick Maurice, the president, opened the conference with a suggestion that the' Legion should enter into friendly relations with the ex-service organisations _of other countries, irrespective of the side on which they fought in the war. "As you know, we have for a long time' past taken, steps in that direction without any very positive. result," he said. "I feel myself that the time has come for us to ,go further in that direction. I find it hard to believe that the men in any country who know war as we know it want war, and it seems to me at least probable that if the men in air countries who know most of the realities of war can get together in a friendly spirit, an important step will have been taken towards the removal of suspicion and the promotion of peace. "We are pledged by our charter to promote peace and good will amongst ourselves with all nations, and if we are to be true to that pledge, we cannot exclude indefinitely Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and the rest. Such a step does not commit us to the endorsement of the policy of any particular' country." PRINCE OF WALES'S SPEECH. The Prince of Wales had a hearty reception when, he addressed the delegates. He referred to the increase in the membership of the Legion which always meant increased health. One of the most important of the Legion's activities was to find employment for their less fortunate comrades. During 1933-34 nearly 46,000 jobs were found, and in the first six months of the current year there were 24,800. That did not include the figures, which he hoped would be; encouraging, as a result of the unemployment week he had had the privilege of inaugurating in the City of London. The result of Poppy Day, the worst November 11 in regard to weather- they had ever experienced, was very nearly equal to that of the previous year. They must never relax their efforts on Poppy Day, as the responsibilities of the Legion were increasing and the calls on their funds, owing to the increasing age of ex-servicemen, were not diminishing. With regard to the pension fund called after himself, the number of pensions allotted was 1750, and they cost £43,000. The number that could be allotted with the present capital was 1900, and for the reasons mentioned he hoped they would be able to increase the capital and there-, fore the number, of pensions. THE YOUNGER GENERATION. The Prince thanked the Legion for the support given to his appeal to help the unemployed. A large number, of occupational centres had been started, and in the south, where they were somewhat more fortunate than in the north, several branches had "adopted" branches in the distressed areas. It was one of the most practical ways in which they could help. >He also thanked that very important side of the Legion—the women's section. They had started wardrobe schemes which had supplied a large amount of clothing in the distressed areas, and he was afraid that their help would be again required during next winter. With regard to the future of the Legion, the Prince said: "I think it is very important that such a great organisation as ours should carry on, and I am in full sympathy with the idea that gradually we should draft some of the younger generation into our ranks. After all, they are the people to whom we shall be handing over when we are too old, and if we can brings them up with the ideals and aims we tiave had of service to our country in the Legion we shall be bringing them up very well."