THE BRITISH LEGION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20562, 13 May 1930, Page 8

THE BRITISH LEGION.

A good deal of interest attaches to the proposal, discussed by the New Plymouth branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association, to change the name of the organisation. This is a matter, of course, for the association itself to decide, and it would be presumptuous on the part of any outside its membership to do more than offer suggestion and comment. There have been occasions, as at the New Plymouth meeting, when dislike of the name has been voiced by members, and it is understood that the question of changing it will be decided at the next annual conference of the association. Already, in view of this, there has been advanced the idea of calling it the British Legion, thus doing honour to the memory of Earl Haig, icom-mander-in-chief of the British Forces in the war, for he was the life and soul of the organisation of that name at Home until his death led to the choice of Lord Jellicoe as his successor in its presidency. The adoption of this name would link the association with that British Legion, without necessarily affecting the autonomy of the New Zealand organisation in any way. Foremost in the practical programme of the British Legion is the devising of means to help ex-servicemen (and women) in need, and it has a splendid record as the one comprehensive body in Britain directing and doing this laudable work. In the recent recommendation of the setting up here of a Soldiers' 1 Civil lie-estab-lishment League there can be read a profitable acquaintance with the methods it lias followed. But in its realised aims has been also the fostering of a true comradeship, irrespective of creed or political opinion and of class or even national distinction. It was the British Legion, under Earl Haig's inspiration, that gave to November 11 at Home its second titlo of Poppy Day, in furtherance of the determination to succour all disabled or otherwise in distress through the effects of the war. From it, too, has come tho British Empire Service League, a truly nation-wide institution of loyal purpose. Very significantly, the visit of Earl Haig to Capetown with a party of representatives of the British Legion, in order to establish in South Africa a branch of the Service League, had a salutary effect on the political struggle there over the Union's Hag. Wider still the influence of the British Legion has £0110; it has lent a helping hand to the Federation Interalliee des Anciens Cornbattarits generally known as "Fidac" —an organisation uniting the ex-servicemen of the Allied countries : and it originated, through this organisation, a fraternity with ex-servicemen of the enemy countries, a movement resulting in some remarkable reunions. The British Legion's charter recites that it exists to "perpetuate in the civil life of the Empire and of the world the principles for which the nation stood in (lie Great War; to inculcate a sense of loyally to the Crown, to the community, State and nation ; to promote unity among all classes ; to make right the master of might; to secure peace and goodwill on earth." If a change of name be favoured by the Returned Soldiers' Association, the title and work of the British Legion should be found worth serious consideration.