Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Salute the Flag at H.M. Consulate:
Rousing Speech by Brigadier Barrett Empire Day was quietly celebrat-by. the local British com No military or other formal functions took place owing to the unofficial nature of the occasion: The annual ceremony of saluting the flag was carried on: in the morning by Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in the grounds of M. Consulate-General in the presence of Mr. J. F. Brenan, H. M. Consul-General, and a dancing play followed by Scout craft exhi tions was held at the Camp in the afternoon. The British members of various clubs and associations entertained their fellow members. All men-of-war in port were-dressed.
District Scoutmaster N. S. Jacobs was in charge of the parade at H, M, Consulate-General. Promptly at 8 am. Mr. Brenan, accompanied by Mr. A, P, Blunt' and Mr. A.
Blackburn, arrived to witness the ceremony. To the Sound of the General Salute, the sent, standing. to attention, participants were subsequently inspected by Mr. Brenan, At the usual Empire Day home" at the Shanghai Club, large gathering was entertained by the band of the 1st Battalion the Worcestershire Regiment, whose selections of popular airs contribut-fed to the success of the occasion. Proposing the toast, "Our King and Empire," Mr. Kenneth Martin, president of the club, said: or many years it has been the tom" of the British members of this club to be at home' to. members of other nations, and to-day it is my privilege to extend a hearty welcome to all of you that are not of British nationality. We do not hold this day as an occasion for. brogging' but for a spirit of com and I think Tam right that the. more nations get together and shake hands, the better for the peace of the. world generally.
"Old Mother England has a large family, and, as is often the large families, trouble, but ties down again and things run moothly until such time as another member of the family becomes un-july; but still we carry on.
"It has been said that the British Government has no policy. That may be so, but I think T am right in saying that whatever policy we may have, we have always tried to be just and to help the members of our Empire as well as those of other nations whenever possible.
We have been told that the British merchant classes are the real backbone of the Empire, but with out the support of the Navy Army we should have had great difficulty in the past. Tam going to call on Brigadier Barrett to reply as he will be able to tell you far better than I can what support Empire requires.
'Gentlemen, I give you 'Our King and Empire'."* When the toast had been drunk, Brigadier Barrett, officer commanding the Shanghai Area, said:
"ty is with great fidence that 1 stand to-day to reply to the toa: the Empire, seeing that I a1 rounded by people far more at 0 do justice to the theme.
"Twill, however, try for a few moments to direct your thoughts to friends of other me if I treat this as a family party which they are privileged to attend, Last year I think it was the Minister addressed you and among other things gave you a history of the origin. anid growth of Empire Day. I will say nothing' Jon that except to remind you that it is essentially a day for children, on which their minds should be directed towards the formation and growth Jof the Empire and all it stands for. not only to us but to the world in Jgeneral. We seem to be like an old rman who has been told so often that he must die very shortly that he proceeds to divide up his property himself of all his res-
But, gentlemen, lately there has arisen' a man who can rejuvenate the aged, not only stir them out of their lethargy but make them vigorous again. The Empire requires some one to give us the will and strength to raise the flay again to the top of the pole instead of being satisfied to see it drooping at half-mast. The way every member fof the Empire can asi operation is to'inoculate everyone else with a pride in our Empire and a faith in its destiny. This cannot be done by sitting down and regretting the glories of the past. It can be done by keeping a sense of proportion. In these days re the words "ce-operation Jand "must move with the times' dined into our heals. We all really know that it takes two to ce-operate, and that moving with the times is not coasting down hill with no brakes. But in these days of bureaucratic Governments it is diflcult for the individual to know how he can ass the can best assist by doing a little judicious boasting in place of self depreciation and recognizing the difference between legitimate flag-waving and jingoism.
"You may wonder why I have said this to you members of the Empire whose lot is cast on foreign soil, It is because I think you under-estimate your influence on current events—hot only in China but throughout the world. The British community in Shanghai has a wonderful record of achievement and has a war record second to mone; 1 do not suppose a place exists more punctilious in observing the National days. They area much-abused people and you may be certain it is only influential people who are worth—wh ind Jabusing. Moreover, our Empire was founded by _traders—the flag followed trade, not trade the flag—and the Empire will be sustained or fail through the actions of traders, individually gr colpectively. Having an unbounded pride and faith in our Empire, I ask everyone to use his influence to forther her cause, which is to spread Tight Justice and liberty throughout
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.