FALSE PRETENCES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2880, 19 September 1916, Page 4

FALSE PRETENCES

There is again a shortage in tho number of enlisted men who have maclo response to the summons to go into camp. In the Wellington Group the quota, required for the Twenty-first Reinforcements was 191. To secure this number 240 men who had enlisted at ono Limo or another during the past few inoinths were on. Only 140 rcspouded—loo failed _to respond. In sorno instances satisfactory reasons wore forthcoming, but in a largo number of oases the men summoned simply stayed away without any reason being given. Somo of "them ,may put in an appearance later/those who do not deserve tho contempt of their fellows. And for "this reason: they havo won the approval o,f their friends and tho public under false pretences. They have enlisted and had their names published iu tho Press, and then when called on to carry out their undertaking to serve their country havo ignored tho summons. It is very contemptible. Their action is really worse than that of tho man who fails to come forward at all, for ho at least docs not sail under false colours. Tho Government has now taken steps to put an end to this sort of thing.. From Monday next when a man onlists and passes the medical examination he will be required to take tho oath of allegiance. This means that if ho fails- to respond when called on ho bccomes a deserter and will ho punished accordingly. Tbo man who honestly intends to carry out his obligations can take no exception to this. It does not affect him in the least. But tho man who onlists for tho sake of the publicity and with no intention of serving nis country will no longer be able to practise his shabby trick. It is time the matter was placed on a better footing, and we are glad to note that the Defence authorities aro attending to it iu a thorough manner.