Wed. Noember 5, 1975- R5 Lest we How the Legion came into being Altbougli tbe Great 'ar finisbed in 1918, ils effecta lingered long after-'-epecially for velerans. In Canada, as elaewbere, econormc difficulfies preaenled problerna for many returned men. Mutual distruat arose befweem officera and otber ranks. The existing legilation and Uic administrative macinery could nul suive tbe pro- blems of Ibose wbu bad aerved. Muny veterans' groupa Ibus sprang up, but tbe circurnslances demandcd a unifed organization. Field Marabal Haig, Com- mander ufthte Britisb Empires forces on flic Westerr Front, and Sir Richiard Turner, a Canadian soldier, blpcd inspire tbe crealion uf sucli an organizafion. A unity convention met aI Winnipeg in November 1925, and mot exiaing groups merged ta f orm tbe Canadian Legion wicb, in 190 by royal assent, becamne 'fli Royal Casadias Legion. Thfliounders decided lu stand for peace witli strengîli and for liyalty lu Canada, Uic Empire and Uic Mnareby 'flic Legion was lu saleguard velerans and Ilir dependesîs, lu prtect Ibe lamilies ufth Ile allen, and lu make sure Ibat warlîmne sacrifices would lie rcmcmlibered Despite Ibese intentions, certain indivîduals lielicvcd Ibat because Uic gruup dcnied mcembersbip lu, asarcbists and communistu, a strusg-armcd, lascist movement was in tlie making. Huwevcr, tbe rumours did nul persint and. wif b Saskatcbewan veerans in flic vanguard, Uic mnembcrsbip ut most former scî vicemens groupu flocked f0 flic legios. mIe Legions prime concers bas always becs ceterans and Ibeir deendents. oney frues poppy aaeiâsaucpeoplcwen thy are in ditresa. Tbe organizalion bas belped Uouands te presa dlaims for goverurnu benefils and baa lobbied for irnproved veterans' legilation. As early aa April 1926, tbe group aougbt ameodmenla f0 tbe Pensions Acf, Uic Soldier Set- tiernent Acf, and tbe Civil Service Superannuation At. Sucb efforts procurd assitance, unlicard of tloig tbe Firat World 'Nar, for peuple being discbarged affer Uic Second. Thli Legion tried lu make millary lite more pleasant. During World 'Nar Il, Canadian Legion War Services providcd members ut flic forces witb recreation, personal guidance and uppor- lunities for educalion. The cdu- cational programa produced better soldiers, sailura, and airmen, prcpared military personnel for cîvlian lite, an d prevcnfed 'lioredues in the long winler niglis.' Somne credil Iis prugram wýitb raising literacy rates in parts ut Canada. Beyond cuncers for flic veteran, Uic Legion bas a sesse ut public duly. In 1921 the organisation ut- lcred cild rearing advice. 'fli Legions irst national convention wanled lu devclup a "spirit ut Empire' lu offset dangerous toreign acivities. Before and during Wrld War Il, the organisation fouglt complacency. Mre recently, the group bas souglit refores in various fiel~ and bas provided many communify services; for instance, Ibere are bundrcds ut places in Canada wbere Uic Legion Hall is tlie unly social centre. forget... Remembra nce and the poppy "In Flanders Fields" /Pi1iFiander Fes lc ic jqîpî'î l,ît,' lii'iîeeiliii <r ,îîc. ruv on ro,î Thlaîurk our p/au c,, andim ithe îk i T'he ark. i uii// /ui si u ipiug, //i, Se aru'uelîeard amid u/ iheguisiuhu'/uîi 1ite arc' i/u'ie D'ad, S/hort do 'i agi lu',lii cd. Iclt dawvîî. ati,' iîîîîîî'gluuui' u'î'î'u, and %uerî' luci I.anîd nuî, î'ii li 11 lu k'u ields. Take up <ue quarrcl <sith te ]ue. Tu'e) sfron idiiJ/ling bapids uc lhruuis Tfluourî'ilch evirs t) /sld /u hig/u. il i,'break.lait/ i ii /i uoh,, die lb',' <l i uui le,i h gipop;pii'igruuii lIJ' lades fieldsi. John MeCrae Last November, six and a bal million poppies bloomed in Canada. Dotfing tbe lapels ot almost one-Ibird of Canadas population, tbe symbol ut Remem- brance made ils 38tb appearance in Ibis country. Altbougb everybody knows wbat the poppy mneans, nobody is certain ut bow if al began; of bow th obcme so closely assoc- iatedwt remembranceuftlie war dead. Thle association was certainly sut new wben tbe poppy was adopted in Canada is 1921. At least a bundred and tes years before Ibat ime, a correspondent wrotc ut bow thickly puppies grew uver the graves of the dead. He was speaking ut the Napoleunic War and its campaignu in Flanders. But a Canadian medical off icer was cbielly respussible for Ibis assuciation, mure su Iban asy otbcr sngle knows factor. Jobs McCrae was a taîl, buyisb, U: year nid member outIhe Canadian Medical Corps lrum Guelph. An arlillcry veleran ufthIe Buer War, be bad the eyc ut a gunner, tbe band ut a surgeon, and the soulofu a puet wbes lie went mbt lie lise aI Ypres un April 22, 1915. 'flal was thc alternoonsthe eiiemy firsI uscd poison gai. Thfliirsi altack lailed. Su did the sent and Uiche nt.Fur 17 days and niglits the atlies repulsed wave aller wave uf talaers. During Iis pcriud, McCrae wrte "Ose eus sec Ibe dcad lyisg there on flic Iront field. And on places wbere the ennimytbrcw in as attack, tbcy lie very lbek on the lopes outhflicGermas trenclies." Working lrom a dressing station on the bank ofthIe Yser Canal, Lt.- Col. McCrae dressed hundreds of wounded, neyer taking off bis clothes for the entire 17 days. Sometimes the dead or wounded acutally rolled down the bank from above intobis dugout. Sornetimes, while awaiting the arrivai Of batches uf wounded, lie would watch the mes at work in tbe burial plots wicb were quickly tilling Up. 'flen McCrae and bis unit we relieved. "'Ne are weary in bodY and wearier in mi. 'Ihe general impression in my mind ta one Of a nightmare," he wrote horne. But McCrae came out of YPrea writh 1.3 lises scrawled on a scrap of paper. Tbe ises were a ocm wbîcb started: "In Flanders fed the poppies blow.--" These were the lunes wtiicb are cnsbrincd in tbe bearfa of soldiers who beard in tbem tjieir innermost tbouglits. McCrae was tbeir voice. 'fic pncm circulated as a folk song cîrcutates, b living word olmoulli. Mes learne il Vwitb their bearts. 1n the Un/ted States, the poerno inspired the American Legion lu adopt tbe puppy as the symbol of Remembrance. lu Canada, the puppy was olîciatly adopted by the Great War Veterans Association is 1921 un the suggestion of a Mrs. E. Guerin of Francc. But there is utile doubt thal the impact of McCrae's poem isllucnced Ibis decision. Tflicpuem speaks ut Flauders fields. But tbe subjeci is universal: the leur outhIe dead tbat tliey will be lurgutten, that tbeir deathli wll bave becs in vain. The spirit of truc Rcmem- brance, as symbolized by tbe poppy, musI be tic eternal answer wicb bettes thuse fears. I M F