THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1929. THE NAVY LEAGUE'S TASK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20243, 1 May 1929, Page 12

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1929. THE NAVY LEAGUE'S TASK.

Its annual meeting serves regularly to bring the Auckland branch of the Navy League before a public often forgetful of it. There are other chances of house-top proclamation, of course, but the habit of the branch :is to avoid fuss about its work, and to this habit must be mainly attributed the considerable measure of public indifference. It is all very well to ishun display and trumpeting, yet this aversion may be carried to excess. The Navy League haa a good cause, and to hide its light under a bushel is poor service to that cause. , Ife is not quite the cauise, as the GovernorGeneral has pointed out, that the league had in the earlier days of its existence, Then it felt impelled to bring pressure to bear on British Governments in order to keep them fully alert in meeting the country's need for a powerful navy. In those days, British trade was expanding overseas, and there was a corresponding necessity to guard its interests against jealous foes. A strong fleet, equal to the combined fleets of any other two Powers, was absolutely indispensable, and yet it was easy for the necessity to be forgotten in the tangle of the political projects. Hence the Navy League had a clear vocation in voicing, from the point of view of a public nationally minded, the claims of the fleet to Ibe given a front place when financial favours were being distributed. That day of building ships and more ships has given place to one of scrapping ships. For seven years o:c so there has been a very definite programme of this sort, shared with more or less enthusiasm by other nations, and to start a campaign for- warship-building on a large scale new would be to break step with this modern movement, and the Navy League feels no impulse to do that. Nevertheless, it has a task justifying continued activity.

What that task is can be seen distinctly when the present position of the movement toward universal peace i 5 understood. The movement is not complete: its objective has still to be attained. What was done* at Washington, and what has been attempt 3d since that crucial gathering of tho leading naval Powers, have left wide margins of uncertainty and indecision. Within the restrictions accep ted at Washington there is still need for a measure of naval preparedness. Not that - the British Empire is looking for loopholes. The Empire has set an example in scrapping ships, and is not thinking of goir g back on that policy. Yet the very fact that the Empire has magnanimously given away so much of its earlier naval advantage supplies a reason why it should not be left now wholly naked to its enemies. There is no absolute guarantee of peace, and the old envies have not altogether died: for the British Empire to cast utterly away 'its maritime defences would be to invite attack. To maintain enough ships to ?serve in'keeping open lines of communication and trade, and to have these ships built to a plan serving this defensive end, are aims consonant with the peace programme now generally in favour. This programme docs not ban defensive measures ; it precisely recognises the differing necessities of different nations; and it therefore provides a place for British maritime efficiency in harmony with the current phase of the peace programme. There is no need, then, for the Navy League to down its flag. Side by side with "the true value of the Navy to-day," to quote Sir Charles Fergusson, there is opportunity to foster a due appreciation of "the glories of the past." The Royal Navy of our nation has a magnificent history. Let all be written off that must be, for a certain swaggering bravado and a lust for fight [in bygone ages, there remains a record that no other nation can match when moral criteria are used to measure facts. The White Ensign has been the world's best answer to the Jolly Roger. That ensign has put the slave trade to rout, made piracy hide its diminished head, and brought law and order in place of sordid intrigue. Never was sweeter music to beleagured peoples than the barking of the Royal Navy's guns. That Navy has been hated ; but by whom? It has been feared, but why? Never has it been despised, either for what its men were or for what they did, and this is a phase of our British naval, story worthy of abiding emphasis. The Navy League lives, not only to tell and retell that story, but to see to it that noble material will never be lacking for the recital, so long as, a British navy exists. We are a people "incurably maritime," and whatever the changes in international politics they can never take the salt out of our blood. Joined by far : stretching tracts of ocean, our Empire will continue to use this old highway; and they who pass on to generations following the brilliant story of British ocean prowess are sure to do much toward keeping that highway safe and honourable. Even to do this would be an achievement entitling the Navy League to renown.