SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3101, 4 June 1917, Page 8

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Sir,—l was pleased to see the letter signed "First Division," dealing with the questions put to the Government by' the Second Division League. It is common talk among returned soldiers, rejects, and the remainder of the First Division, that the members of the Second Division are

"beginning to squeal" now that their names arc soon to be put into the ballotbox. The list of questions which the Second Division League intends asking the Government, shows plainly the trend of thought amoDg the Second Divisioners, The inference is that the said Second Division League is going to do its utmost to keep Second Divisioners out of the ranks until certain impossible conditions are fulfilled.

I thought this league was formed to secure better pensions for the dependants of married men—quite au excellent object. But the league goes out of bounds in asking tho Government 'the nnmbei; of men promised to the Imperial authorities, and if thevo is any limit to the number of our Reinforcements. This is merely a covert way of seeking to nullify tho Military Servicfc Act so far as it relates to the Second Division.

The First Division formed no league, and asked 110 questions. By the time the Sccond Division is called upon, 80,000 or more First Divisioners will have gone through the ballot—tho First Division will then be exhausted. What then? Cease sending men and leave all the?e ( First Divisioners without Reinforcements? A particularly insidious dodgo of the league is its demand to know the defaulters. The object of this is, 1 suppose, that they should be, rounded up "before married men are called. Quite right, but the total number of defaulters; if placed in camp together, would only make about half a Reinforcement, so that the call of the married would not be deferred after all. The First Division men did not complain nbout the defaulters, even though each defaulter has involved the calling up of other First Division men at an earlier date. As a matter of fact, the number of defaulters is small wlifln errors aro eliminated, such as the calling up of dead men, men who left the Dominion prior to the passport system, men who have joined the Expeditionary Forces, and men whose names have been duplicated in some way. As to the re-exam ination of rejects— the old saying'was "not one married man should be called while there's a fit single man left." The new saying is "not .'one unfit single uia'n should be sent while there are fit married men available."— I am, etc., FATHER TIME.