MILITARY SHIRKERS SUFFER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1919, 29 November 1913, Page 11

MILITARY SHIRKERS SUFFER.

GRADING MARRIAGES. The peoplo of Australia have decided that it is the duty of every ablo-bodied male citizen to accept a share in tho defence of his country. Tho conaitious of modern warfare render it necessary that any dcfence, to bo effective, must be carried out by skilled and disciplined troops. Therefore, the share to bo undertaken by each male citizen consists not only of actual fighting, but of preparation for such conflict. . At present, remarks Henry Malonc, ill tho "Sun," a small but cantankerous section of the youths who require to bo trained in accordance with tho decision of the people generally ruvo made noisy and annoying efforts to ovado their obligations, and, in consequence, have visited ou their own heads much troublo and confusion. It is extremely probablo that, as timo goes by, this section will dwindle to small proportions', if it does not entirely disappear. Still, it is as well to bo prepared for emergencies, and as a means of punishing tho man who tries to shift all the work 011 to . his fellows it has been suggested that on attaining tho ago of twenty-one ho should loso his vote. But this would bo manifestly unfair. _ Depriving tho traineo of his franchise would be depriving him of his undoubted Tight to alter the law he objects to, should he over be in a majority. A more fatal objection is that in all probability ho doesn't caro tuppenco whether he ever has a vote or not, and most sane persons who have watched tho politics of tile Commonwealth and Now South AVales recently will bo inclined to sympathise with him.

The Alternative. The proposal for disfranchisement is ono that cannot seriously bo entertained. . But that is not the only way. Johnny Smith, the drill shirker, is only 16 now, but tho day will come when he is John Smith, Esq., and is desirous of leading to the altar Miss Muriel Jones, with whom he has been accustomed to sit on'tho verandah every ovening for the previous threo months. Muriel being agreeable, they will procced, wend thoir way, or moroly go to the parson or tho registrar, and thero will mako known their wish. This is the opportunity of tho Commonwealth. Here is where John Smith will find that he has been graded for matrimoy—not necessarily for export. Tho parson or registrar will demand to seo_ John's certificate of compulsory training, showing that he has performed the duties regarded as necessary to mako him an effcctivo unit in Australia's fighting force. John will temporise; in all probability ho will lio. outright, asserting that he has lost it', but that ho will mako an affidavit beforo a J.P., and get another. But tlie parson or registrar will quote tho law to John, and explain that ho is not permitted'to marry couples'unless the bridegroom either produces his certificate or admits that he has not qualified for one.

(n the second Grade. Tlion John Smith, seeing that there is no alternative but the truth, will confess that he was a drill shirker in his youth, upon which the parson or registrar will obsorve, "Second-class," and, taking.his hanil from tho pile of white marriage certificates before him, will reach to the pigeon-holo branded ''Second-class bridegrooms," and take out a' pink paper. ' By this timo it is possible that tho brido is apprehensive, oven if she has not wept down her veil and mado the orango blossom sag like seaweed. There is a possibility at tho eleventh hour she may oven change her mind on learning that she is about to marry a second-class bridegroom.' Still, if ;t lieiv-JpyO'is oxtra strong, ;shp.,|iriay pluck "up courage, and go through;'with it, even accepting tho wretched pink document headed "Second-class' marriage." '

Compulsory Publication. But.thero would be worse to follow. Having prpvided for the compulsory grading of/bridegrooms, tho. Commonwealth must go further, and require all such marriages : to bo printed in tho "Government-Gazette," and -at least two. daily newspapers published within radius-of ten miles of tho bride's residence, under the special heading "Sec-ond-class marriage," in order that the girl friends of tho bridq may know that sho has become the wifo of a secondclass bridegroom. Those who have not been invited to the'wedding, and those who failed to hook the second-class bridegroom themselves may be relied upon to lot tho bride and tho bride's acquaintances 'and the general public know precisely tho grading of the new husband. .'Matrimonial class consciousness is a factor of civilisation which would develop very speedily.

The Bride's Position. Then there is another side to tho dcfencc question. Defence does not live on man alone. Napoleon said that an army 'travelled 011 its stomach, and if man is to do tho actual fighting, it is woman who ivill be responsible for the quality of that fighting in tho food in which she supplies liim. Tho defence of Australia depends as much—perhaps more—on the cookery of its daughters as upon tho pugnacity of its sons. Therefore, as tho sons get their certificates of good service to show that they have done what is expected of them by their country, so must the daughters bo able to produce certificates of ability to cook betoro they can be regarded as first-class brides. The marriages would then bo classified as "First-class Marriages"—meaning tho marriage of two first-class parties; "Second-class Marriages," moaning tho inarriago of one first-class party and one secondclass part}'; and "Third-class Marriages," meaning the marriago of two sgcond-class parties.