EMPIRE AND DEFENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1934, Page 11

EMPIRE AND DEFENCE

WORK FOR EX-SERVICE MEN. GENERAL HOME’S ADDRESS. Brigadier-General A. F. Home told the members of the Sydney Millions Club that no nation in the history of the world had gone so far towards bringing about disarmament as Britain. But the example had not been followed, he said, and it was time for Britain to put her house in order.

General Home, who is hon. treasurer of the British Empire Service League, was speaking of the work of the league among ex-soldiers in various parts of the Empire. These movements, he said, showed that the great spirit of comradeship engendered during the war was meant to live afterwards. The man who originated the league was Lord Haig, one of the great soldiers of all time. His greatness was displayed after the war, when he saw how necessary it was for the Empire that the old spirit of comradeship should be fostered. Victory was a great thing, but there was an aftermath which was far more serious than war itself. All felt that they were not justified in letting things drift, and that the ex-service men had to be got together. Lord Haig made this his task. He set about breaking down organisations which were seeking to use exservice men for political purposes. He formed the British Legion, combining all the good elements in the other bodies, and it existed to-day, non-po-litical, nonsectarian, and thoroughly loyal. Lord Haig’s next step was to consolidate the bonds of Empire, and he formed the British Empire Service 'League. Its headquarters in London was quite a small affair, but the members came from all over the world, representing Canada, South Africa, India, Ceylon, New Zealand and Australia.