THE TREATMENT OF RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 186, 26 April 1918, Page 7

THE TREATMENT OF RETURNED SOLDIERS

Sir,—l wish to counter certain romarlcs reported to hayo ten made at the Defenco Commission sitting on Wednesday morning;, considering that such were uttered with a marked degree of finality, in that the members of the commission were asked to "corroborate" much of what the speaker said, thus constituting himself an authority on much that is evidently outside his sphere. The officer in question, Lieutenant-Colonel Skinner Forsyth, of the. A.1.F., states that ho held tho appointment of D.A.Q.M.G. in London, also had l«en Commandant of Base Headquarters in Cairo. It would bo more interesting to know if ho had been an active combatant and rubbed shoulders with the men in the trenches, for his remarks, particularly referring to tho re. turned invalided soldier problem, do not appear the least helpful, but on the con. Irary give tho fensation of tho "cold douche" without the usual beneficial results from same. Ho speaks of too much sentiment on . the part of Governments and other organisations, in thut they nro "too kind"'to the men who liavo somehow survived the liery orde.il, inore or less battered as wo are, and still in need of'prai'tieal demonstration, without wishing to be lionised or "spoilt," which wo certainly are nnt. Surely Hits nilicer is out of touch with, or does riot understand, much less personally experienced, Unit helpless feeling in having to fend for'oneself while in indilVerent health and corresponding financial straits, or he could not express the opinion that:, in finding any old "job" for a man, tho various Governments thereby absolved themselves from further responsibility, leaving the man with the privilege of "sticking to it," or, presumably, lumping it. ft is fallacious lo generalise from individual or isolated cases, which this officer apparently does, condemning or eulogising accordingly. At this period it certninly appears premature to make anything like a definite statement on thn land problem for soldiers, but in this also the speaker appeared rather dogmatic in his assertions as to its failure. Have, we not in this i country many fanners who look up land

on vory primitive conditions in thp past, and Knowing practically nothing, v/iio lmvo made 1 goodr 1 So surely our colonialborn onus especially can maku good under what are, Hy comparison, greatly improved facilities. Touching 611 tho question of valuation for services rendered to our country, who will venturo to compute that valuo in monetary or any form of practical sympathy to tho. bereaved ones, leaving tho maimed soldier out? Hut wo must bo reasonable, and we aro so, generally speaking,. ; though it seems to bo interred otherwise. We can do most of our own thinking, too, ajid in conclusion, by way of countering any disparagement; or what may appear so, 1 wish to be emphatic in slating that, by upholding our nation's leaders in the iinai appeal to tho arbitrament of anus, alter tlio deplorablu failure 111 international diplomatic relations, we should be, 111 our turn, tho nation's iirst and best caro. Lot 11s not talk ot' being "to liiiul," though it seems evident that the Government which earns the reputation of melting with kindness will establish a precedent for all history and probably retain tho record. This without disparagement, for only those who aro biased, in my opinion, would Ijo so uncharitable as to imply that our leaders aro not, individually or collectively, making an honest attempt in dealing with this, tho must stirring period iu all history; but, nevertheless, tho "too kind" notd is out of tuno. With hest wishes for tho .National Government,—l am, etc., COSMOS. •April IS).