WHAT OUR READERS THINK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2471, 26 May 1915, Page 9

WHAT OUR READERS THINK

SHOULD MARRIED MEN ENLIST? "A SOLDIER'S MOTHER" SAYS "YES." (To the Editor.) Sir,—With reference to Mr. Goldingham's letter of May 24, headed "Whose Duty is it to go to the War?" may I be permitted to give my opinions? I believe that every man who is medically fit should go. If our Empire is in such great need l that our youths of twenty must go then I think it quite time that the able-bodied married man should stand shoulder to shoulder with him. My reasons for thinking thus are: (1) The single man. has as much right to his life aa his married brother; (2) has not the married man more at stake? Why should he expect the single man -to protect his wife aud daughters? Why should he continue to have all his happiness at the cost of the single man? Again, has not the engaged maid to give up more than her married sister? I say more, because probably the married' sister will have a child or children who in time will fill her life, while the maid is to live her life, as it were, alone. No sentiment should come in in a crisis like this. Someone must suffer, but I do not see why our young married couples should have all the happiness at the expense of our maids and boys. The young married wife is as well able to work as her single sister, and there will be work in plenty. Women can fill the place of men in almost all cases, and they will do so. In France we hear of women taking the place of men on trams—why not nere ? Also, in banks and offices. I have known women who have made good shepherds, even on hilly country. Our men cannot go and leave their women-folk in the lap of luxury, we know, but I think the women of New Zealand can and will he as brave as their Belgian sisters. A few women say that they will not allow their sons to go: Well, I feel inclined to say: What are they that they should have their sons'at the expense of mine? In my opinion some steps should have been taken to insure each man's life for, say, £1000, the public to pay the Sremium. If this could have been one each man would have felt indeEendent, and, best of all, no one would ave been able to shelter behind the question: "If I could leave mine provided for." Trusting that I am not trespassing too far on your valuable 6pace.—l am, '' A SOLDIER'S MOTHER. - 1