"SALLIE ON THE SPOT"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 19, 17 October 1917, Page 6

"SALLIE ON THE SPOT"

THE BRIGHT EYES OF WAR

(By "Wi.")

Ladies, you know what I mean by tho diabicrio of propinquity. The principle cmbouieu in the phrase is expressed in siomeuer terms by sucn sayings as "Two's company," "With Amaryllis in the shade," "Gin a body meet a tody," and so forth and so on. Weil now, this diablerie of propinquity—let us bo serious and learned and scieniiiio, for this is a serious question—is making trouble. I was reading -some Australian papers the ojjier day, and I came across a leading article in tile Melbourne "Age" which caused me furiously lo think. A certain lieutenantcolonel of the Army llcdical Corps (Dr, Spring Thorpe) had discovered during the course of an investigation into tho gentler phases of the war that MOO Australian soldiers, strafed by a feminino barrage of bright eyes, had taken unto themselves wives in England. r lho article evoked a letter from a returned soldier, who said something in his indiscretion which called down upon him the ire of no fewer than six angry correspondents. The matter worried the "Age" considerably. "How many more," says this very serious newspaper.

"havo succumbed to tho oharms of Frenchwomen we are not yet informed; but wc may be quite snro that the sprightly demoiselles of gay Paris havo not permitted the "ladies of London to have it all thoir .own way in the matter of lmsband-lflinting in the Cornstalk area."

Then it goes on: "When peacc revisits this disordered planet, one of the most puzzling phases of the social statist's work will be to determine the relative susceptibility of the various national forces drawn from overseas to light in Prance nnd Flanders—as demonstrated by the marriage registers of civilised Europe. It is a subject of inquiry that will very keenly interest the women of Australia, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand; and it will not bo likely to be regarded with indifference by the daughters of America unless the war ends very suddenly, for already more than 200,000 American soldiers have crossed the Atlantic. Of course ono can only make a blind guess, at this moment, at the numbers of Canadians, New Zealandens t South Africans, and Americans who, like M. lveronsgy, have 'found time' to marry in tho midst of war; but we mako bold to predict that the record established in England by the 'gallant' Australian 6000 will not be overshadowed by any other nationality. . . . It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Tho war gave the surplus women of England a golden opportunity to catcli husbands, for it brought from overseas hundreds of thousands of splendid young colonials, and dumped them down into a land of teeming spinsters with no better cardiac defensive armameyi than momories nnd photographs. Evidently the insentient photograph of a distant beauty is inadequate in all cases to savo the Australian male from_ the lure of proximate and living loveliness. If the women of England took advantage of their chance, should we judge thein harshly? Would the daughters of Australia hare acted differently had the positions been reversed? The Australian fair sex may at least comfort itself with the reflection that the gallant 6000 havo not been lost as husbands to the Empire. What tho women of the Commonwealth have lost, the women of England have gained. Wo may all feel a little disappointed, deep down in our hearts, that so many of our soldiers have shown themselves inconstant to the women of Australia. We may all feel, too, that it was a little mean in them to choose helpmates overseas and to wait till they returned and marry in the Contmonwenlth. But to know all is to forgive all, and when the lads come back to us with their English brides, it will bo our common duty to welcome with unstinted courtesy and cordiality both the husbands and tho wives."

On tho heels of the "Age's" refined speculation rushed one 0. I;. Passey, jvlio said that he had read with interest the article in which the "Age" bewailed tho fact that 6000 soldiers of Australia had taken unto themselves English wives.

"Speaking from the viewpoint of a returned soldier," Tie said, rashly, "I con-i gratulalo the boys, and I venture to think that not many of them will have cause to regret their 'gallantry.' _ As you point, out, comparisons are odious, so I will not attempt to compare tho Australian girl with her English sister. Both are charming in their different ways. But I will say this—the girls in 'Blighty' are alive to the fact that there is a war being waged on this oid planet, and consequently they show the ready sympathy and understanding which so appeals to a soldier. And as for your statement that our boys are proving inconstant to the girls in Australia, I say decidedly that you cannot substantiate your words with facts. Bemember that quite a big proportion of tho A.I.F. who left these shores were 'unattached.'"

After that it was up to the Australian girl, and eho arose in her wrath and smote Mr. Passey._ "All Australians" owned to "having felt a bit 'jealous' to know that so many of the boys tad taken other brides than their own. You ask the reason. I venture to say that an exile from home and loved ones has found our boys yearning for tho affection which their own Australian girls always bestowed on thein, and, as we all know, it was lavished in great abundance cn them, and they succumbed to the pressure. But our girls are just as brave as they, because it -was our girls who sent them, and inspired their souls, and in a degree helped them to do the glorious deeds wc know tliey accomplished. But the girls, !c their credit, still keep a smiling lace, though their hearts are sore, and still continue their knitting, etc., as of old. As for our girls being indifferent to a war being on, they are very much awake to the sad fact, They have not got the opportunity to personally show their ready sympathy aud understanding, which so attracts * the undersvauding nature of Mr. I'assey. But they at all times are showing their grit, and making their sacriuce bravely, that another might enjoy what by rights should have been their lot. And for those of our boys who were 'unattached' before they left Melbourne, I say, I'm sorry they were' so 'fussy' and such bad judges of womanhood. Our women and girls are as intelligent, open-eyed, industrious, end genuine companions, aud can compare with any other women of any country, and, above all, they have a heart and soul of gold. I often 'sighed'. myself, ;md wondered it my soldier boy would meet the same fate of that 'gallant' COOO! But, thank goodness, he dispersed my fears by making me his bride before he sailed." „„ ~

Apparently it is a case of "Sallie on the spot." "All the world over knows, and more especially women, that 'the Sallie on the spot' is what can appeal to the male sex most;" wrote''Sallie not on the spot." "We, the Australian girls, are quite as learned in this respect, if not in any other. We\l know how to "bag tiic game' if we had it. So, good luck to the English maids. BTavol Six thouhem a bad 'bag/ birt T guess had wc had the same opportunity we would have done better."

Bnt thev were not all so cheerful about it as "Sallie." "There are; very few s; rJs out hero who are not denying themselves all they possibly can to help the ooys both over thcro and hero," wrote 'Australian." "I have no doubt tbat the English girls aro doing a lot for our hoys, but what do they got in return r Ihe pleasure of their company, and that to an Australian girl would be the greatest pleasure of all. Possibly this soldier did not mean to hurt our feelings, but the majorifv of the Australian girls do feel hurt about it. Certainly we do not know what it is to live in fear and drean of Air raids, and to hoar the roar of guns, but we do know what it is to live in dread of every knock at the door for fear we may receive bnd news of our dear ones, and I may say that there are very few girls out here having either friends or relatives at the front who would not willingly change places with anv girl in London. Some of the bovs write and say how good the English girl* have been to them, but they forget that it is a novelty for these girls to have the Australian boys over there, and also f'hev (the Ihtvs) give them a good time. Is there anv Australian girl, I wonder, who would'not go out of her way to give the returned boys a good time? I think not. We are only too anxious to do all we can for them. We Australian i

girls have only tho letters to look forward to, ami mail dny bore is like a. birthday party to u. child. This soldier lias evidentlj come in contact with a few girls who are not. in sympathy with the. soldiers, and he judges lis by thoso few. On behalf of all Australian girls I say wo are ready to give our boys all the sympathy it is possiblo ■ to give them. They are: never out of our thoughts, and perhaps tho boys who think that th* English girls have more thought for thom. than we have will bear in mind that; those girls have every opportunity,, whereas we can only write what we feel, and many of us cannot express ourselves on paper." "Coramie" sat down in hor wrath and •pen 111 d a withering retort. "If Jlr. Passey is mi Australian, and lias Bisters, I 11111 sorry for them, and thankful thu.t. he. is not lnv brother," said 6he. "We> Australian Rirls don't marry a man without knowing him, for one can't knoweach other in a couple of weeks. A true. Australian soldier knows that lio can. find his helpmate in his own sunny land " he will only choose the right one.*"' So did "Anti-Passey." "Apropos of 0. L. Passcy's letter," said she, "I wish to express my surprise, and I might add, disgust, to think that any Australian man would insinuate that the Australian girl is indifferent to the war, or those splendid lads fighting for God, King, and country. More than likely he was one of the very unfortunate ones who did not have the luck to have an Australian, sweetheart to keep the home fires burning while he was away. If such is thei case he has my heartfelt sympathy. Tothose of the (iflOO who left here 'unattached,' and who are really in love with, their English maidens, well, good luck, and lifelong happiness to them, but to thoso who made promises to sweet, hearts here and 'turned them down' because they were flattered at the attention they _ received at the hands of the fair English girls, well, to them lifelong regrets. May I venture to ask if Mr. 0. L. Passey has left a very sympathetic charmer in dear old 'Blighty'?" Nor did "Loyalty" spare him. "I read with indignation Mr. 0. L. Passer's letter," she wrote. "He is evidently not an Australian born, or he could not have uttered such statements regarding his countrywomen. He says tho English women show ready sympathy, and understand there is a wot waging. That mar be all right, but let him answer a question : Who was it that let their sweethearts and 'unattached' friends go away with such noble resolutions to fight for thoir county? . Why' The loyal, bravo Australian drl. who does not need to advertise her trust (actions speak louder than words). She works hard afc home, making comforts to 6end to tho boys, who havo had their heads turned by flattering words, in the guise of sympathy. Does 0, L. Passey need to" be congratulated on his gallantry?" Well? .