MORAL WELFARE OF TROOPS IN JAPAN

Chronicle (Levin), 14 January 1948, Page 7

MORAL WELFARE OF TROOPS IN JAPAN

♦ Eeceived Tuesday, 9.35 p.m. SYDNEY, aJ.n. 13.. A violent elash of opinions is developing among Australian observers eoncerning' the moral and materi'al welfare • of the 8000 Australian soldiers in Japan. . A statement by Mr. B. J. McDonald, president" of -the Legioii of Ex-scrvice-. men and Women, that the soldiers. in • Japan were suffering "moral dry rot V and that the amenities were "shockingly f ew, ' ' has drawn immediate- fire from Lieut.-General H. C. H. "Robertson,, Commander-in-Chief of the British Commonwealth Oecupation Foree, who is now in Melbourne. "Any statement that the moral and spiritual welfare oi the troops under my'command in Japan is neglected, is fantastically absurd, " said Geueral Robertsou today. "Never. have the troops had better accommodation and amenities than have the British Commonwealth sailors, soldiers and airmen. " He added that increaSed numbers of chaplains of all denominations were witli the troo)is and that improvised army chapels had been replaced by dignified churches erected at the expense of the Japanese Govcrn.ment. Welfare organisations were in full operatiofi, all forms of outdoor 'sport were being played,- and- coneert parties froiii hoiue countries were constantly on tour. Other amenities included picture shows almost every night, a service radio station which was on the air 16 hours daily, and an active educational system.