SOLDIERS' MARRIAGES
DISCUSSION ON STATE ENCODE- ,,---,-. ' AGEMENT.
Tho Eugenics Education Society recently held a discussion on "The Disabled Sailor and Soldier and the Future of Our Kace." 'Major Leonard Darwin, who presided, said that-those who had. fought and survived should have homes not inferior to the homes of .their fathers, and should be encouraged, if they desired, to marry, so that as many British as possible should bo able in future to boast of having the heroes of this war among their ancestry. According' to existing rules, small allowances might be made for each child born of a marriage contracted before discharge, but no; allowance might be granted for children born subsequently. The State, in effect, said,to the disabled bachelor soldier, "Marry or not, just as you please, but mind you don't have any children"; and this was in effect to abandon the effort to ensure that the good qualities of the man should be passed on as. largely as possible to future generations. When work was being obtained under the State, the authorities should .provide, adequate quarters for a -growing family,-or adequate wages to" enable them to be found. "Men with encum-brances-need, not apply" was a notice which in future should be anathematised. He had-been told that a number of men had been captured by women on the streets of London and married to them. He could not say whether it was true, but if it was it was a national calamity. ' '
Mr. Percy Harris, M.P., chairman of the London War Pensions Committee, said that the authorities seemed unable to decide whether disabled men who needed remaking for civil life should be retained in the Army for that purpose or handed over at once to tho civil organisation. The civil organisation had no power of discipline. He could not help thinking some combination of .military and civil effort ought to be possible. If the Army could not keep these men, he hoped the system of pensions and allowances would be 6o arranged as to offer strong inducements to men to accept training. An institution was being provided at Golders Hill for neurasthenics. They were to mix with men who were perfectly sound in nerves although suffering from wounds, and who were chosen for their cheerful disposition.'
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3061, 24 April 1917, Page 3
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377SOLDIERS' MARRIAGES Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3061, 24 April 1917, Page 3
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