SOLDIERS & POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 146, 9 March 1918, Page 8

SOLDIERS & POLITICS

RETURNED MEN'S ATTITUDE

LOCAL ASSOCIATION UPHOLDS NON-POLITICAL PRINCIPLE.

' At an extraordinary goncral meeting of the Wellington .Returned Soldiers' Association last night, Mr. J. Fox moved:—"That this meeting of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association endorses the action of the committee in taking up a neutral attitude in the recent political contest, thus acting according to th 6 constitution/ of the New: Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association. Furthermore, this meeting disapproves most emphatically the action of any political candidate who may be inclined to exploit either the name of the Returned Soldiers' Association or returned soldiers for political advantage." There was' a lr.r[;tt attendancev of members, and the atmespfiero of the meeting was decidedly heated. , A .motion to exclude the Press was defeated by a largo majority. Mr. Fox said he considered it unfortunate that after two years of work it was necessary to move such a motion. Recent events had proved that unless the association took precautions it would bo caught in the vortex of party politics. The rules laid down definitely that the association was a non-political body. If the _ soldiers eventually needed political action they would take it, but they v.mild not have the politics of anybody else. (Hear, hear.)' He would leave it to the good sense of the soldiers to say if they approved of "the most scandalous events of the recent contest, when soldiers who fought and died were exploited for political purposes." He deprecated most emphatically any attempt by politicians to take advantage ol the soldiers.. He and others had worked for two years to create a sound structure. (Several cries of dissent.) If members did not agreo with the committee they could elect another one. But he asked the association to lay down the principle that it- wan a non-political body, and refused to be used by any politicians whatever. The motion was seconded by Mr. Reynolds. , In answer to a question, Mr. *ox said he did not'wish to mention any candidate. He was asking for a statement of principle. Mr. A. Stewart said when he joined the association he had understood it was non-political. If its attitude was changed ha would feel at liberty to withdraw.

Mr. 11. Seale said he was a waterside worker. The association contained representatives of every class of lahour and every section of tho community, and he would not tolerate any attempt by the association to dictate politics to him. He would always vote for Labour/ He did not expect all other returned soldiers to vote with him. The association should keep outside politics altogether, (Applause.) Its members could not possibly _ be bound to vote as aii organisation in a political contest, and any attempt in that direction would drive many men out of the association. Mr. L. Gough said he agreed with the principle underlying the motaon. But there would have to be political policies for returned soldiers. He accused those in authority to-day of neglecting their duty to returned soldiers. „ . The chairman (Mr. J. D. Harper) ruled this line of aiguinent out ot urder. Mr. Gougb added there was only one way to get justice done .for tho retained soldiers, and that was by direct representation in Parliament. . Men wore coming back from the f ronl (] and asking what had been done for tnem, and the answer was, "Nothing." The soldiers should not allow any politicians to cling to them for votes, but they must look to the future. They must havo their own politics. Answeriug a question, the chairman said every member of the association was entitled to take his own attitude in politics, so long as he did not drag in the association. The organisation itself stood outside politics. Mr. H. H. Smith argued that the introduction of politics into the association would wreck it by bringing about hot dissension. The thin end of the wedge had been pushed in at the recent eieouon, and the committes had done tuc right thing in protesting. "Has any member of tho association, whatever his office, the right to denounce any particular candidate on behalf of the Returned Soldiers' Association?" asked a member. Tho chairman said the executive had the right to publish letters defending the interests of returned soldiers. He presumed the question referred to a letter written by Mr. Seymour, general secretary of the New Zealand Association. Colonel Samuels said he thought the discussion had shown clearly the soundness of the non-political rule.. If the association mixed in party politics it would fall to pieces'. But there would be no reason why the association, at a general election, should not lay down' principles which it wished to have adopted by candidates. The action of the executive should be upheld. Every returned soldier had a perfect right to vote as he pleased and serve on election committees if he wished, but only as an individual. (Applause.) Mr. D. J. B. Seymour said the association was concerned with tho broad phases of politics, that was, tho government of the country. But it took no part in the return of particular parties or candidates. The reason for that wasplain to see. The by-election had shown that the association could not support particular political candidates ■without smashing its own organisation. The members could not bo expected to vote always as returned soldiers. They were citizens with divergent views on many topics. When the war was over, many social and economic topics would loom larger than purely returned soldier interests, and it would be disastrous to attempt to hold all tho returned soldiers in one political bodv.

The motion was carried without dissent, and this decision was loudly applauded.