"THE ISLANDERS."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10045, 16 May 1910, Page 4

"THE ISLANDERS."

An interesting development of practical patriotism at Home h's been responsihle for the formation of an organisation known as "The Islanders." Whether it will clash with the undertakings of the Navy League remains to be seen. The chincss are that it will,, for the aims of the two overlap to a very considerable extent. The new budy represents the last word in national virility, and from its nuvelty alone it is bound to receive a large measure of support and sympathy; but if it should draw its principal supply of strength from the Navy League, there is a danger that both may languish. However, the Islanders have Bet out with sufficiently high ideals. Tfteir platform is baaed upon the utterance of Mr Balfour in the House of Commons in May of last year during the naval debate, when he made a strong appeal in favour of keeping the Navy out of party politics, and of adopting some general formula equally accepatable to both parties, thus ensuring a continuity of naval policy. I He pleaded for the acceptance of a new standard—twice the naval strength of the next largest single Power. The policy which the Islanders hav pledged themselves to secure, their card of membership says, is that by which two British ships shall be laid down for every one of the next strongest European Power. Members, however, do more than merely affirm the need for this stan--1 dard of safety. They make the following promise:—"l will endeavour each year to peiform son-e acr, however small, for By country which wiil increase her commercial prosperity, maintain her maritime supremacy, and strengtheo her moral inflU' j ence among the nations." Thepropa- ! ganda is carried out, oddiy j enough, with a good deal of secrpcy, although it is claimed that the society has already a membership cf many thousands, not only in the United Kingdom, but scattered all over the British Empire, in Canada, as in Australia, in India as in New. Zealand. It is also stated that the Islanders played a not inconspicuous part in the last elections, and that their voting turned the scale in more than one constituency.