"YOU AREROTTERS"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2619, 15 November 1915, Page 6

"YOU AREROTTERS"

i MEN WHO DONT ENLISf

A RACECOURSE:SUBPRISE

THE SOLDIER'S STRAIGHT TALK

After the third race at Riccarton' on Saturday, says the Christohuroh "Star," something hi tlie nature of a sensation was caused by a fiery, and straight from the shoulder speech, baoked up by a parade of returned soldiers, delivered ■in the birdcage, by Captain Donald Simsou, who-fought in. the' South African campaign and at the Dardanelles. Captain Simson paraded all the returned men he could get, and with the permission of the officers, of tho. club, delivered his address.

He said that ho wished first to address his remarks to the stewards, who included many of the most prominent men in, the Dominion. . He wished to ask them -if they.vhad considered whether they-should'haye run the meeting' responsible for.'the large gathering, . The stewards ,- were not'only trustees of racing, but were also trustees of the young men and women in the country who were present at the Taces, while the Empire was at the point of a, crisis. But for the-head-lines in tlie newspapers it would, be impossible to know, that there was a war on. The stewards who held racing meetings '-were responsible for the gathering, and they could not call on any'eligible man in the crowd to go, since they were the.causes of his presence. New Zealand was not taking tho war seriously, while racing was allowed to continue.

"There are men" here who have ■undergone tho_ trials of battle," isaid the. captain. "I know, what they have gone through. There i are men here with one leg, men who 'have lost an arm, eye. or have had their hoalth ruined fighting for you. If you think you are running these, races' for patriotic purposes, and in ,the interests of funds for soldiers' comforts or of the wounded, you are making a mistake. (Cheers.) There are members of Parliament here. ■ You have not taken the war seriously. You make excuses; you are always making excuses;' you blame the Defence authorities; you want a changeof doctors; the Hon. Mr. Allen is making mistakes. You do-all these things, but you hold races. "We are not going to fight for you for fivo bob a dayj no money could pay us for our ruined health, but we have the right to come back—and these' men will come, back in take a hand in running this country." Turning to the outside enclosure' he said: "You men who are there are all shirkers."

, A Voice: 'What do the men say ? Captain Simson: They back me up. You are absolutely indifferent to the call of your King. You are absolute rotters. (A Voice:, Give it to them.) You are Totters, but I don't altogether blame you. The older:: men 'in the population should give you a lead, ond tell tho Government of to-day that racing should stop, and - that mem of all classes, should be sent out. It was at the invitation of Mr. W. F. .Buckley that ho was able to be speaking on. a recruiting platform. "You have ignored the call of your King, the appeal of the Press; you have ignored ycer dead and wounded in Gallipoli; you have ignored the appeals of Parliament. _ These men heTe, who have done their bit and done it well, are tho last voice to appeal to you." To the inside _ enclosure Captain Simson wade a similar appeal, and urged that men who were too old to go, but had more of tho world's goods than the men outside, should take up the duty, of • providing for the wives and children Of the men who did go. It was ho use trying to shelter behind the. fact that they were too old. They had a duty. Thoy should take the places',of .the young men who could go and help keep their dependents. .

At this_ stage Mr. Buckley approached Captain Simson, to remind him of tho approach of tho starting time of tho next race The crowd hooted vigorously, but Captain Simson again remarked . that it was by the > invitation of Mr.. Buckley that he was able to speak, and ho thanked him. He would say what he had to' say as briefly as possible. The speaker then, turned to the ladies and said that their presence at the racos showed that they had not considered the position seriously. Thoy brought men out with them. If. they thought of the men killed and wounded, tho outrages in Servia, the sinking of tho Marquette with its brave New Zealand nurses, they could not with decency be present that day. v "lt is no good sheltering behind those men in mufti. . They won't protect you, from outrage. It is the men in uniform who will protect you, and them only." In conclusion he addressed himself again to the stewards of the club, and asked them publicly to seriously consider the question of such meetings. "I ask you again if you will consider ihis appeal at a meeting called promptly. If: you ignore this appeal, you will tell theso mon that they have fought for nothing.". The men and Captain Simson were enthusiastically, cheered, and someone in the'crowd called for groans for the men. who sent the horses out for' tho races. These were given, and the incident closed.