A PROTEST.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2482, 8 June 1915, Page 6

A PROTEST.

■ (To the Editor.) ! Sir—ln yesterday's Dominion- (June 1), "A Veteran" has descended to abuse, not argument. 'Young New Zealand" evidently knows more about existing conditions than he does. 11' a. veteran ho must surely know that atmp life is not the place to develop clean manliness. Drinking is the rule, ■>iot the exception, and one learns from English cables that legislation is necessary to cope with the illegitimate results of the clean manliness of camp life. Rumours nearer home are not wanting. Camp life in Samoa- has its peril"-, also in , Cairo. One chaplain XyhlmiiJj.'Offi Ciwia esjjlauw that it ii.

"the swine" and "the silly sheep" who miss their footing. It is very encouraging to mothers of boys of eighteen to know they are being subjected to such tests, even if it is only associating and sharing tents with such. "Veteran" has evidently never had a boy of eighteen, or lie would not talk such twaddle. Apart from the evils of camp life, an under-aged boy has not the constitution to stand the strain on mind or body, and nothing could make it right to take our boys, while we havo 110,000 men of fighting ago shirking their duty. The call to arms is not tho only one that has found shirkers. We are told that as a nation we have a bigger enemy to fight than the Germans. An urgent call was made to us as a nation to study self-denial, and take the K. of K. pledge. Our King set us a high example. How many have followed ilt? How many? Has 'Veteran" done his little bit? If not, why not? No age limit to this call. When the men and women of our nation rise to the full sense of their duty; when they strike the "white fire of a great enthusiasm," then, and then only, will wo go forward. Boys of 16 in times of peace are not allowed to purchase a pea rifle, and no juggling of facts can make them, when two years older, suddenly become capable of fighting with rifle and bayonet an empire's greatest war. —I am, etc., INASMUCH. Juno 2, 1915.