THE SECOND DIVISION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 25, 24 October 1917, Page 6

THE SECOND DIVISION

Sir—ln setting forth one s priest against the unprecedented demands of the Second Division, one was not conscious of throwing a challenge, ot, as Junior ! Tronthiun" puts it, a "gauge Seeing | that such a doughty warrior-thoiigh he i reports it, as shouldn't—has seen ht to I show fight against a woman-hcre goes. I Firstly, one would remind one s j.p- ---! ponent of the timeworn British masim, ! "Fair play is bonny play, and m cny ' combat to abuse one's opponent instead of discussing the matter at issue is contrary to rules and out of order, let Jt is what this one has done. Who is he defending, this long-service man, the fair and frail or their warriors-to-be t He portrays his challenger as a timorou3 maiden; he should read her letter again, One can hardly bo wife and maiden too; neither is she maiden-wife but mature woman and mother of three, who share with her the long separation, al6o the pride of owning an "Anzac. . Then again, was. it the custom in those bygone days of the arena for timorous maidens to throw challenges? Ones recollections turn rather to favours and ribbons, etc. , Regarding the unselfishness of the Second Division getting all possible tor wife and children, might one refer to tho old-time taunt of the husband to his w ife—"What's yours is mine and whats mine is my own." One should feci honoured at such, an old campaigner entering the lists-ae-cording to his own account this will be tho fourth occasion. What wera the first and second? Perhaps he was Uptain Baby Bunting" in the first, Don Juan" in the second; of the third, the Thirteenth Reinforcements, he says little. Perhaps he got married then, bo that in all four campaigns there wag a ladv in the case. One's thirteen-year-old'son suggest? that the two first were "camp pains," acquired after enlisting, which accounts for his present ability to champion the Second Division, or which he is obviously one We are told it takes time to make a soldier-arc, and more, it requires grit. on 9 can tell <t a I soldier who ■ left with the Dandy : Fifths" who fought at Suvla #ay, was i wounded, invalided to England, and is now filling a post of responsibility on the Permanent Staff, wbo, requesting that he be allowed to rejoin his company «t the front, was told he was indispensable, given advancement, and kept where he was. Ho did not ask for allowances, though he left three children, two with their feet just on life s ladder, and an only son of ten, to be educates to his sister's standard, and only a "delicate"—not weak-wbinan between them and the spear. Had lie ««; '» • He knew the one lie loft behind m charge, and nothing else mattered. One may not be a soldier, but one claims descent from a British general of the age when "chivnlrjr was not yet dead." and to may have inherent ideas as to "playing the great game, and in days of old-when knights were boldthere was no question ot risk or otherwise. -May one quote Richard Lovelace, a.i>. 3658 ( Oft to the Wars ). Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind, That from the nunnery Of thy chaste breast and quiet nuna To war and arms I go. True, a new mistress now I chase, The first foe in the field; And with a stronger faith embrace A sword, a horse, a shield. Tet this inconsistency is such \s thou too shalt adore; I could not love thee, dear, so muoh Loved I not Honour more. The lady was doubtless his wife also, but petticoat was not his master, and as now she had to face stern facts and be ruled by head as wc-11 as "But she ever stoops to conquer. \s for looking deeper than the surface, one has been underneath, and is still in

the swim, and knows what's what, i-.nd one feels elated that two "lleturued Soldiers" have unconsciously upheld one's "weak effort." "Ribbons to them." But the Second Division—where are they? They have learned to talk —are struggling with pothooks and Z.l'.X. ? 'Apropos of woman's dress, 'tis a poor man and a poorer soldier who is ignorant in that respect—'tis against tradition. "Junior Trentiiain"—ollo thinks he is very young—should be careful not to mis. quote—'tis not cricket. A weak effort is not synonymous with a weak character, neither does the evildoer who sets out to deliberately injure his or her fellows generally prepare the same fato for self.us for victims. Personally, ono has had neither more' nor less to manage on than the average soldier's wife, and the larger allowances would have been a godsend. Some necessary things might then iiave been attended to, which mist now go by the wall, but one is not sufficiently. sellish as to desire to see one s country bankrupt. Candidness is a good point, says Mr. "Junior Trentham," and he agrees that it is weak to try and "do"'a woman, and unless he want 6t° be badly beaten in this instance he is well advised by "wine" to stick to soldiering.—l am, etc., BARBARA, J UX. Ootober 22.. Sir,—ls it not time that the noiso which is being made by members of the Second Division ccastxi? I can truly say that the public are getting tired of it. These members have nad three years' grace, and during that time the men of the First Division have been lighting for the wives and children and lor the men of the Second Division, ana havo made no noise about it. The men of the First Division carry their responsibilities under their .hats; the men 1 of Tne Second Division have their wives and children to light tor. Which have the most at stake? And yet .it would seem that the men of tli6 Second Division would be content for the First Division to do all the lighting for them. If the Germans were in New- Zealand and in possession of our principal ports would the Second Divisiou be holding meetings as at present and haggling tor pay' The thing is a disgrace. Our troops are better paid that any troops in the world. If the Old Country paid her soldiers and sailors at the same rate she could not carry on the war lor twelve months. Membon of tne Secoud Division have had three years respite in which to make provision for turnfamilies, and it is more than probable that I hev will never see any lighting. Notwithstanding all'this, we find tho Second Division men doing their b»-.. to embarrass the Government and demanding pay which they well know the country cannot afford. Of course, they do not put in that way, but that is what it amounts to.—T am, etc., A FATHER OF TWO AT THE . FRONT. [We would again point out. that it is uniust to the Second Division men to saddle them ns a body with «?poriMbility for the actions of the Second Division League.]