THE SECOND DIVISION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 196, 8 May 1918, Page 6

THE SECOND DIVISION

Sir,—l am one of the many who hope that the Government will stand firm, against tbe further demands of the men, of tihe Second Division. 1 consider that". ,Ilie tiorcrnment are treating the Second' Division as well as the circumstances oi: the country and the prospects of tlici war will allow;. "We have Sir William. Robertson telling us that in his opinion the war will go on for a long timeyet, and when 150,000 of our able-bodied men have been called up, who will we 1 liavo left to find tihe money to curry on. the country? The JEO.OOOJOOO loan has not yet been raised, and we have a further .£20,000,000 to find this year. Again. 100,000 men have gone into camp and. the firing line so that the Second Division men could enjoy their homes in , , peace and quietness, and many of these* Second Division men arc shirkers who havo married during the war, well knowing that their place was in the firing; line. I know married women, eome , with no children, and some with ouo , child, whose husbands are at the front, and who are earning their own living, putting* by the whole of their llmsbands' allotments and their ajlowanccs. A woman with £1 2s. a week can live comfortably in lodgings, and a woman with one child and £i 12s. 6d. a week cam do the same. The Second Division have.i had four years in which to make some' provision for ..their wives, whilst the First Division Ihave been fighting for: them. They have more to fight for than , , the single men, they havo their wive* , , and children, but to hear them talk they convey the impression that they are being hardly used in being asked to nglifc for their'own homes and families, t. mate me (iick to hear them. They itonot care who are called up so long as they escape. The question ,of nay and allowances is only an excuse. One time it was suggested that we should pa.r the. Russians instead of sending our men. Xow we are told i'lat the Americans: should do the fighting. The pay an*, allowances fixed by the Government me. the best in the world, and I hope that the- Government will not budgc.-I am, etC 'THR FVTHER OF TWO AT THK FRONT,