COMRADES OF THE GREAT WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 12

COMRADES OF THE GREAT WAR

SCHEME ITO RAISE £1,000,000. The inaugural meeting of the Comrades of the Great War, an organisation formed to promote and safeguard the interests of discharged sailors and soldiers, was recently held at the Mansion House, Loudon. The secretary, Mr. P. J. Hannon, said letters had been received from Lord Mayors, Lord Provosts, Mayors, and Provosts of 117 cities and towns in Great Britain giving their warm approval of this national movement, also from a great number of men in public life.

The Lord Mayor, Mr. C. A. Hanson, M.P., read a letter from General Smuts, saying: "At the present moment Ave are all ready to admit the duty of promoting the future well-being of the gallant men who have fought and bled to preserve the liberties and institutions which we prize. The Comrades of the Great War exist to keep this duty before us now and in the future by forming themselves into a society to perpetuate the glorious spirit of comradeship which has carried them through | so many,, months and years of stress and 6torm." ' :

Tli© Lord Mayor said they aimed at getting £1,000,000, and already the following, among other large sums, had been guaranteed or subscribed Mr. Charles Cain, £10,000; Mr. H. R. Gordon Watney, £5000; Captain M. Pope, £5000; Sir A. Mond, £5000; Major David Davies, £-5000; Sir J. Norton Griffiths,. £5000. , . Lord Beresford, explaining the objects of the new society, said it was based on loyalty, patriotism, and good l comradeship. They wished to perpetuate the glorious spirit of self-sacrifice and devotion to duty so apparent jn the war. Men from the Naval Auxiliary Forces, as well as from the Army and Navv, would come into the society. Ho was certain wo had not yet realised what we owed to the mercantile marine. After i a slight interruption by a few young men showing they misunderstood the objects of the meeting, Lord Beresford went on to say they desired discharged soldiers, and .sailors to get preference in all State and public employments. They were in co-operation with great employers of labour in that direction. They also wanted to pre-

vont irritation antl waste of time in making arrangements for pensions and allowances. »"There isj" 1 ]ie_-said, "no charity, no benevolence, nothing of that sort. It is to help the men forward to what, is their due. AYp have got to get hold of these men in a. broad and statesmanlike manner. If we do not we shall have them exploited by political parties, and they will turn individual grievances to account.' Captain Towse, a blind V.C., referring to 1 the interrupters, who bad 'eft the room, said they were only misguided, atid he hoped they would sco the folly of their ways. . A resolution supporting the objects of the movement was carried unanimously.