A POWER FOR PEACE

Southland Times, Issue 19345, 10 September 1924, Page 5

A POWER FOR PEACE

EX-FIGHTERS’ FEDERATION. SIR LAN HAMILTON’S CAMPAIGN. (By Teleg/aph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Sun Cables.) LONDON, September 8. General Sir lan Hamilton, addressing the British Legion, appealed for support for the Inter-Allied Federation of Ex-fighters, who were determined to forestall the League of Nations by taking a practical step towards ensuring the world’s peace. The General said that the Society’s 5,000,000 members constituted the most powerful organisation on earth. The politicians at Geneva were trying to tie up a homicidal maniac with pink ribbons, but they could not expect to find a single-minded Europe while the nations were divided into two camps. They could not avert a future conflict except by enlisting the peace-loving ex-enemy veterans in a federation. Much interest' has been aroused by the speech by General Sir lan Hamilton, who, as a leading official of the Inter-Allied Federation of ex-Soldiers, has lately been actively organising a movement to prevent future wars.

Sir lan declared that the resolutions of the League of Nations were beautiful, but he expressed doubt as to whether there would be any resolution behind them in the hour of trial. Something stronger than pink ribbon was needed if hate and exasperation engendered during the last two years was to be overcome. By insisting that they would not fight each other, soldiers could prevent war.