SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 222, 7 June 1918, Page 6

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

and polo of financial assistance BUAttU LEAGUE WITHDRAWS REPRESENTATIVE. i At ft meeting of the National Executive of ttio Second .Division League, iusld last evening, tue aujourucu uiacusiioa on the ponuy; oi the ooiuiers' imuuciul asiisiauce i>oavd was resumed. As a riault tue executive uecmert to tako the . fiujjortaut etep oi vitmu-awins their rcyreseucauve iioin tno Doard iuj it prolust against the policy laid down by the ftiiuonal Cabinet regarding tho assistance to be (jiveu to soidiers' wives who aro mothers. In connection with their decision the executive unauimousJy tleciUod to issue tno rollowiu;; manileslo:— 1. That wheftas it hu» been clearly laid doivn by the JN'atiomd Uovennueni, through the Acting Prime iliuister auu lUmister ot ilctenco, that in making grants of financial assistance the wito oi u soldier sliull not he jienalised becauso of hei , peraoiai oani'iugs from employment, for tho reason that tho Government wishes to encourage the wives of soldiers, if they so tles.a , , to take up occupations during their husbands' absence on service.

li. That ns the highest employment of womanhood ana of greatest vuluo to tbo nation is that of motherhood and tho proper upbringing of the children who are to muko our tuture citizens.

'A. That as complete maternal control is moro than ever necessary in view of tue absence of paternal control owing to the ivur service of tho father.

i. That ns the wife of a soldier, being the mother of young children, cannot take employment and at tho samo time properly attend to- her home and tho cava and upbringing of her children. 1 5.. That whereas tho National Uovernment has laid it down as the policy of the Financial Assistance Board that the "wife, only" of a soldier whose pre-en-listment earnings wore ;£IGO per annum or tnder shah recei'vo euch grant of financial assistance as will give her a net'minimum income of £W per annum clear of recurring obligations. G. Tlut whereas the Second. Division League in a case recently investigated and published showed that the wife of a feservist Svith.ono. child (pre-eulist-meat income i!IG9 per ,nnnum) has been made a grant by the Financial Assistanto Board leaving her and her child jointly the total sum of £9i per annum, thus depriving her almost entirely of the value of her child's separation allowance. 7. That whereas an official attempt has been' made through the Press to justify this action l)j«coniparing tho pre-enlist-ment earnings of the husband, this, taken with the policy of tho board affecting wives with children, as laid down by the Miiiister, appears to indicate that its function is to keep the wives-and children of soldiers on the lowest possible eoiUo compatible with thoir pruenlistment position instead of reasonably improving their condition as a reward for the sacrifices demanded of them by the State. / f 8. That as this appears to the league to clearly' imlicuto that tho policy as laid down by tho National Government; does not recognise the sacred calling of motherhood as an employment worthy of .the greatest encouragement, and that the children's separation allownnces, recently increased by tho Government, arc to be nullified and tho benefits thereof, 60 badly proclaimed, rendered abortive. Wherefore, in view of the foregoing and the fact that the minimum net income of ,£3O for a "wife only" approved by the- Government- as the boards policy is not a sufficient incomo having reg'ird to the high cost of living, tho lea"uo regrets that, after consultation with its represpiitfttive, it ie reluctantly compelled to withdraw from representation on the board, as it cannot accept the responsibility of being officially identified with an institution which, hampered by its present policy, in effect is militating against the league's just caiiso ot securing adequate living conditions and reasonable comfort for the wives, children, and other, dependants of our soldiers.