PLAIN TALK TO THE AUSTRALIANS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3044, 3 April 1917, Page 5

PLAIN TALK TO THE AUSTRALIANS

■BY A BOER WAR MAN. " Sergeaht Wilson, a returned soldier, speaking at a recruiting meeting in Jleibourno a few days ago, eaid he had temporarily lost the use of',oho hand, yet ho. was willing to go hack to the lighting in Franco by tho next boat if lie could dodge tho doctors. "I am able to talk in, six languages," the burly sergeant wont! on to say, "but niy English is not good." I hear a lot everywhere' I go about White Australiar arid white Australians.. Well, lam a Dutchman, a Boer if you liko to call mo one. I am a sailor, and I am speaking as one working man to other working men. I fought in tho Boer War on the'eido of the Boers, and I 'did somo fighting in two revolutions ,in South America. When I settled down in New South- Wales I married a Sydney wonian, and she made a man out of a rover. I tell you honestly that I did not put on khaki and'go to the front for tho glory of fighting under tho British flag or the' Australian flag. I went away as a soldier to fight for. my. Australian wife and for my little home. My wife was worth fighting for, and the littlo corner I own and live on was worth fighting for. i Don't you think so? To Australians I say, if you don't want to figlit for your flag, go and-fight for your home, for the roof that covers your head. You men who are earning and receiving good wages, - do you ever think what will happen if the Germans win the war?;- If the Germans come here, you will have' to

say good-bye to big wages, and work for Is. 6d.*.a day. Don't you forget it. Save your country before it is too lato to help, and by fighting and beating the Germans keep it a land of freedom for the working inan. There can only be threo classes of men at the present time in Australia —the men who know their duty,- and go to tho war; the men who are willing to go, but who are not physically fit' to be soldiers; and the cowards who can go and won't go." ,