THE NAVY LEAGUE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 151, 29 June 1932, Page 12

THE NAVY LEAGUE

THE ANNUAL MEETING LORD LLOYD’S REVIEW MUST FACE REALITY LONDON, May 4. It is quite apparent that in Lord Lloyd as president and with Lady Lloyd as his able lieutenant the Navj League have a real, striking force at their head. Both the president, who was re-elected, and Lady Lloyd spoke at the annual meeting of the league yesterday, and the latter described nei efforts to “convert the heretics* in this country. Lord Lloyd said the greatest opposition they had was the Deague of Nations Union, an organisation which should be considered as distinct from the League of NationsIn reviewing the activities of the Navy League during the past year Lord Lloyd noted in particular the growth in the number of lectures given throughout the country. He said that the league regarded lectures in schools and colleges as among its most important functions. A circular had boon sent to public schools, and it would shortly be seat to several hundred private schools, asking them to welcome lecturers representing the league. In the last few days over 200 replies had been received from public schools asking for Navy League lecturers to be sent. The “Navy League Sea and Air Map of the World,” which was issued in conjuncr tion with the Air League, was selling well in all parts of the Empire, and the “Keep Watch” film continued to be booked for schools and meetings. In the main the work of the branches I was satisfactory, some doing well and others not too well. The annual dinner of the league was cancelled because of the last General Election, and it was hoped that the Prince of Wales, who had intended to be present, might sec his way clear to come to a future function.

The Sea Cadets still continued to do good work. This he considered quite the most interesting and probably the most important youths ’ organisation in the country, and the most efficient. It was the only organisation which was not ashamed to teach the boys how to defend their country, and make them proud to do it. Active Hostility There had been active hostile propaganda from the League of Nations Union, said Lord Lloyd. He was not confusing that body with, the great organisation at Geneva. The two should not be confused. Wherever representatives of the Navy League went they had to deal with, the union’s teaching, which was opposed to fhe ordinary doctrines of patriotism. Lord Lloyd paid a tribute to Lady Lloyd for the work she had done m connection with* the flag day. They had found great difficulty in getting helpers. They ought to be able to get metre than 300 or 400 helpers. They ought to be able to get 5000, and these ought to be prepared to stay out in the rain and collect the money. The president stated that the general secretary (Commander Denny) had been doing untiring work addressing Rotary Clubs up and down the country. This work was so useful that they had decided to appoint another secretary and release Commander Denny for a year to act as the league’s chief lecturer. Lord Lloyd also mentioned the splendid and untiring work of lecturing now being done by ViceAdmiral J. E. T. Harper. Lord Lymington, in submitting a resolution urging the First Lord of the Admiralty not to be deterred by any circumstances or considerations from making good his statement that the country would have the ships it was allowed to have by 1936, said it should be remembered by all that the Navy was the Navy of seven nations in the seven seas. Ho thought there were other things on which the nation should economise instead of on the Navy. To curtail the Navy was madness at the present moment, when so much of the world was tumbling down. There could be no safety at Geneva unless there was safety first of all for the British Empire; no disarmament would matter if there were no policemen left. Converting the Heretics Lady Lloyd said there were three types of heretics they had to convert in this country, me first were those who did not know much about the Navy. They took the services of the Navy as much for granted as the electricity in their houses which they turned on with a switch, or the water which they turned into their baths. They were guilty of the comfortable habit of prosperity, forgetting that the A B C on which a great people was educated was sacrifice. The second type was composed of people in which the infant bacillus of the League of Nations Union had taken root. These people were definitely hostile to the Navy League. They considered that civilised people should not appeal to force in their disputes. They forgot that a nation was based on force just as much as a house was built on foundations. If these philosophers would study the history of the Royal Navy they would find the police work of the Navy had never ceased. They were well-meaning but woolly-minded people who had to be made to face : reality. Then there were the people who considered they could do nothing to help. The matter lav in the hands of the Government. If they wanted proof of what the nation could do when thoroughly aroused they had only to remember the last General Election. If the people of England insisted on having a strong Navy there was no Government which could resist them. Lady Lloyd’s resolution, which was carried unanimously, was: “In the present state of world affairs, only a sufficient and efficient British Navy could enable us to guide progress and exert the moral force by which the general peace may be main tained; we, therefore, call upon the Government and the Admiralty to make proper provision of personnel and material for the Fleet.’’ The third resolution, proposed by Commander A. Marsden, M.P., and seconded by Mr. C. Tayior, urged that in view of “the lack of preparation, and of defence of naval bases, which caused such a seiious deflection of our naval strategy at the outset of the Great War,” the Navy League should press for the continuous consideration of this important subject, by the Gov ernmftnt