The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1921. THE EMPIRE’S HERITAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1921. THE EMPIRE’S HERITAGE.

It was particularly fitting that Field Marshal Lord Haig should preside over the Empire Conference of ex-service men at Capetown, and that King George should send a message that struck exactly the right note for giving new life to “the noble British ideals” which the sons of Greater Britain fought so gallantly and successfully to save Slowly, but surely, the horrors of the Great War are losing their intensiveness, and out of the smoke and din of the long and bitter struggle there has emerged a splendid spirit of fellowship knitting the Empire together in bonds of’ true brotherhood and partnership, thus constituting it, with all its glorious traditions, as a common heritage in “a world-wide federation of nations, owning the King as a symbol of unity.” That this great heritage has been won by the life-blood of the Empire’s sons makes it doubly sacred, so that it may be handed down unbroken and with added lustre to each succeeding generation; Hence the impressive words of Lord Haig when he advocated that the tie which held exservice men together should never be loosened and that there should be a guarantee for all time, throughout the wide Empire, of the maintenance of the high ideals for which they fought, have a special significance, and imply the assumption of responsibilities commensurate with the Empire’s greatness and the high standards of justice, freedom and toleration for which it stands. This scheme of forming a union of Empire w r arriors is no mere abstract idea designed to impress other countries with the magnitude \of the Empire’s power and solidarity, no concrete means for inculcating the militaristic spirit, no medium for blatant boasting of triumphs on land and sea and in the air, but for promoting real fellowship and kinship among the partners in the Empire, and laying, well and truly, the foundations of a common heritage in that Imperia] spirit so splendidly exhibited in the defence of the Empire. Never before in the world’s history have the potentialities of democracy been so strikingly illustrated as in the joining of hands by the grefct democratic countries in the late fight, against military autocracy and never have the sterling principles of true democracy been so emphatically vindicated. The peace of the world depends - on the democratic nations, and the Empire League of ex-service men should prove an appreciable factor in stimulating the democratic spirit by means of that fellowship which is the foundation on which the League is to stand the test of time. It is not too much to hope that the League may stamp its impress on national life by w *kin£ a valiant stand for all that fur-,

thers industrial peace and progress, and helping to create a healthy and vivifying atmosphere of unity of aim and purpose. Primarily the object of the League is to promote the mutual interests of

ex-service men. General Smuts aptly remarked, at the opening of the Conference, that there was a true and honest desire by the Governments and peoples of all parts of the Empire to do their best to meet cases of hardship, and .it can confidently be claimed that in New Zealand this has been done in full measure. If the spirit of fellowship is to •be spread as it should be. it should certainly be as effective in times of peace as in war. It is only by our ex-seryice men realising their responsibility in fostering the Spirit by every means in their power, especially in the realm of industrial activities, that they can safeguard the Empire’s heritage and hand it down to posterity enhanced by the new life given to the noble ideals they fought so gallantly and successfully to save.