SOLDIERS AND POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 209, 29 May 1919, Page 6

SOLDIERS AND POLITICS

SCOPE OF ASSOCIATION QUESTION WARMLY DEBATED BY (MBRENCE ' REMIT REJECTED 3y Telegraph -Press Association. Christchurch, May l>B. Ihe much-debated question of political action was discussed at to-dav's cont-'r-ence of the .New Zealand Returned Soldiers Association. The matter had been given notice of by several remit*.' Tliu president (Dr. E. Boxer) asked nWnbi-rs to try to understand what they meant by political action, as they might have vastly ditlerent interpretations. For tin- purPosorf simplifying .the matter, he muvctl: 'Ihat for the purpose of this discussion on the proposed political action ol the association the words 'politic'.;! action shall mean action which is cuncurned with the election of candidates fur Parliament." He wished to point out -cunt thp association already ijook political action ,in approaching Ministers or mwnbers of Parliament or laying manifestoes balore Parliament. This was pericctlv constitutional, and he thougat ought to w continued. The motion was carried. lie Auckland remit, "That the article dealing with the scopeV the association be altered by the .deletion of the word _non that: occurs in part of the word political, was moved by Mr. E F Andrews. Mr. Andrews said he moved thei remit with a deep sense of responstbility, tor he felt that on it depended tho luture success of the association. He « 8 thirty-first member to join tlie Auckland branch, and he was then opposed to political action, for he believed it was only necessary to place th'; netds ot the men mid their dependants before inrllament to secure justice and redrew out for years Parliament had failed in Jts responsibility. The local associations had redressed thousands of «riovance?, but the whole result of *the°work ot the executive had been a big failure except to ensure an inadequate imifti allowance, at the price of selling the claims of the first 20,000 men wlio returned to the country. He challenged anyone to show that one of ihe recommendations had been carried out. It ra claimed that men comim; back should be P, ro ™ led wit l> first-class accommodation. ■Uddy Welib. a conscientious objector, was provided with first-class accommodation to go to gaol, but the boys ; were horded into second-class carriage's. I (Applause.) They had asked for one Minister of Eenatriation, but had met with lailuri:. Ihe strongest claim, and one winch was supported by !)9 per cent, of the. people, was for retrospective-allow-ances for married soldiers, many of whom would never learn that the association had simply been siveot aside, and had now been offered as a bribe, because an election was approaching, a part of v.liat they aeked for, and it was offered a- a gift and not as a right. "We wanf no gifts, but only justice," Mr/ An- | drews added. He said the fiovI ernment had . failed to take any disabled man into its employ unless h'e could pass a stiff medical'examination, the association had bepniold that men had httie chance uf Rptt:n» clerical situations with the Government, becntise womoe were filling them. The wives and children- of men who overstepped cave were punished unjustly because of the breadwinner's default, and the delienoanb had been told to go to patriotic societies. "The Government does inot care/ , said Mr. Andrews, "if that wrman in forced on to the town while the breadwinner is nway." I'oalising that every pledge marin by members o( Par!i.ii>"»ii had been broken, Mr. A«- , drews added, he became a convert to political action, but not pnrlv action. He supported non-partv political action and if in one electorate there were tlireo or more candidates the association should place n pledge before them to sign, and if they all/signod, the association should tell its members that it wns immaterial who , they vtfod for, but if one .of them refused to sign, the nssoeitaion should fight to secure his. defeat. Mi-.' M'ljill (Wanganiii) seconded the motion.

Mr. Uwles (Wairnraua) , nO ved nil amendment, that "non-party ,, be substitiilecl mi the motion for "political," and Air. Andrews said he was prepared to ac-

Ihe president said he thought political action was essentially party action. He said that if the conference accepted or refused the principle of political action as indicated in the motion it was porlectly competent to decide as to whether the action should bn party political action or non-party, but the primp j PSU o was a clear-cut political or non-political

Dr. Hastings (Temuka) said the conference was in Labour, and if a i.olifiral child came forth it would in his opinoi be premature. He really believed in political action, but the time was premat"ro - He would no!:.be in favour of wiythinjf that would endanger the vitality or the association. No one- could deny the grievances of soldiers but the Government in a clumsy, way would rca ly do what they could for returned soldiers if they wero not hampered by party action. Politicians, however hail ffone hack on their promises, and they had no guarantee even that written promises would be kept. Tim measure should be deferred till they got the pulse beat of the whole Dominion Mr. Liitten (Wellington) said that even if past action had failed, there was'no gunrantre that the new order of things would succeed.

Mr..l. Long (Auckiand) said the as'aeialion was set up to rectify the Grievances of men sufferinif sC rio lls disablenient, but notivithsriindwß the most earnest efforts- of the executive no tangible Jesuits had been attained. He could mid no other means of reform save political action, because tho association had arrived at-a dead-end, and the whole expense of the conference would bo wasted if no action were taken in: Malone (Napier) said the present troyernment, which had come iirior just and unjust criticism, was a national one niut each of the parties in. it-must share the.blamo showered upon it. If action were taken as proposed they would alienate a largo amount of public support. L'here were many differences of opinion, (ind it would cause a split. It would bo the first step towards the end of Hie association.

Mr. Eivers (Hastings) said they must be very canny and very chary as to how they usnd the right of political action. They might bo used by unscrupulous, pernicious not-huntors—men who would use the association for tho furtherance of (heir own ends Thny would promise tncir souls or their shirt?, and yet soldiers would set nothing. Political action, if it excluded party action, would bo ideal, but if tliu association entered Ihe arena of political action it worfld be Kood-byo to all hopes of briiigii]? about the most cherished ambitions of the association regarding the rfl-eskiblhhment of tho returned soldier.

_Mr. Copies (Masrerton) =oid tho question ns viewed by the speakers seemed to be whether they wore Roing to di* of old age or commit hara-kiri. There •should 'be laid down n definite platform of reasonable demands. Some seemed lo think political iiction was eoingUo split lip the association. He did not think such would be tho case. The only political action they eliniild indulge in w.is that referrinij directly to soldiere. They need not bother about such questions as tho importation of Asiatic cgep. n.le. Let tluim ijnfc the assurance of enndidates for Parliament that they would pwry on!: what the soldiers wanted. Theyniiipt trust somebody. Political action on Ihn Hnps laid down by him would result in stri'ater polipsion and not in division.

Ifr. Ip.inier (Wollin'-lon) snid supppss woiMd lie in gcffiiift tho nonenl pnbli; , bnhind Hie assnpiiition. ami with i>rnni>r and a live inlorosi- in in>iiortant queslions tlip nin'iib? v s 'vou'd snrpid til" prnpnsaiufci Ilimutrhoul: H'.p nounlrv. (Fear, lienr.) "Mnnv nonnlo hnd subscribed lo Ihe- aF'coi.'ifion berniisp il: wji» ai'd mo'ibpi"! wnnlil Iw ffllsc to llieii , trust if tlioy departpd frn.... I'lcir cnnstilnlinii.

Tli" Vtv. W.AViiliter fCliri'-lplinrfM aski'd vhnt was Hip bfsi« upon w l,J r-li thn nvpofintimi hn;l been liuill ,m. Ha-J'inJ its two prinr-ipnl p'anV , ? linen pon-T<nli-tiroli=ni me! nn-.^p^rinmVm s Tf fliny (Ipr-Hi-Pfroini Hiooo they f-milrl In=e tt.o •"nnlldcnrp imposed upnn flipin by tlv; !?p.'ior,il public. Theiv wpre ninny jrrir>yances to be redressed, but tho public

would assist them in getting their rights. He was evon confident that many IJl.P.'s were sympathetic, but they had failed to feel the ncuteness of tho problem as soldiers did.

Mr. Pollock (Auckland), who supported a non-party platform, said tho demands tho association were making were not 60 much for rights as for wha.t tho Govern, men't had promised before the men went away aud had failed to give. Mr. Best, (Daiintvirke) and Mr. M'Manus (Dunedin) opposed political action.

Mr. Jacobs (Palmerston North) contended that if the association's organisation were put in order it could wield its power to ensure the proper administra* (ion of the Acts concerning returned soU diors. The Acts were good, but tho administration was bad. Ho hoped that the remits would be defeated, but if. they were carried ho would assist the supporters of political action. Mr. Reed (Blenheim) opposed the remits, as returned men could benefit themselves much more by, associating themselves with public-spirited men and bodies than by converting themselves into a political body. Mr. Graham (Invercargill) and Messrs. Brown and Pridhnm (Wanganui) supported the remits, the last-named saying he did not a'greo with the taihoa policy advocated by some speakers. Mr. Luxford (Wanganui) said that it they were out only for advantage? to returned men ho would say leave political action alone, but they must be idealists to a certain extent, and a new political situation was necessary, for the country was politically stagnant. Mr. Percy Brandon (Wellington) said he understood that under the Civil Service regulations no Civil Servant could belong to a political organisation. If the association funned itself into a political body every Civil Servant in it would bo obliged to'resign. He would strongly oppose the motion if such a disability were placed upon Civil Servants. He did not think the time ripe for the association to form itself into a political association.

Mr. Washer (Tauranga) said there wcro a number of members of the association in the military forces, and according to the Army regulations no soldier was allowed to take parfiii political action. The association, would lose a number of very able member's if it formed itself into ;: political body. Mr. N. B. M'Callum (Christchureh) said that the men who had gone away had been of all shades of political opinion, and it was doubtful whether on their return they could be expected to eeo eye to eye with one another on party politiics. Bather they would stand by their old political, beliefs. It was treading on dangerous ground to depart from the policy which had the unanimous approval of the public, and the association should apply itself to constructive schemes for the general good. Mr. Witty (Nelson) said the only bond thatwas holding the association's members together was the fact that they had «11 seen active service and that they were •ill out for the good of the men who had gono to the war and returned injuied and their dependants. The danger of division if the motion were earrie/1 was very real, Mr. Leadley (Christchureh) said he could, see in the remit nothing to be afraid of, and he had heard nothing of sufficient importance in the debate to influence him to vote. They -should renininher at tho next election that there vevo politicians who had sacrificed the soldiers' interests to party politics.

After a further lengthy discussion lasting until nearly 7 p.m., Mr. Andrews, in replying, said the objection had been made that if the motion were carried, it would result in the association being fiist in tho melting-pot. Me questioned whether that would be altogether a disadvantage, Ho had no doubt that many returned soldiers would stand as candidates ' at, next election, but they ought to have the association as a body behind them. With regard to the statement that a returned soldier could not get Government employment if a member of a.political body, if that were true ho thought it a damnable disgrace that such it state of things should exist.

On a division the remit was rejected The announcement of the result ivhs received in silence.

Mr. Andrews said he thanked the opponents of political-, action for their sportsmanlike attitude towards tho remit. His side was beaten, but not discouraged,' and (hero would be no split. (Applause.) He intended to work fairly to reverse tho decision in the nest conference. THE DEBATeTeSCRIBED DANGERS OF A SPLIT IN THE . ASSOCIATION. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, May 28. The great queatiua of political action on the issue which has been widely discussed by returned soldiers generally, was decided at to-day's sitting of the conference. The Auckland Association's ro 'mir, which recommended the deletion of the prefix "non/" which occurs in front of the word "political" in Iho association constitution, was taken as the basis of the discussion. The discussion was opened by Mr. Andrews, of Auckland, who said that he had come to tin conclusion that the; only means by which tne association could obtain redress ior tho injustice suffered by the soldiers was by political action. He claimed that not one of the recommendations placed on the minutes at the last conference bad been given effect to. Referring to tho endeavours of the association to obtain justice for returned men, he said tnat in every case they had met with iailure. As the election was drawing near, tlie Government had made certain grants in connection with the association's claim for retrospective allowances, but deniet; the grants as a right. The._speaker was convinced that the association had failed in its fight for justice, and its fighting strength could only be effectively in creased by political action. Dr.'' Hastings (Tcmuka) said that he was in favour pi political action, but hn thought it would be premature to introduce it now. .It might happen that should political action be carried there would be a split in the camp, and this would bo disastrous. No one could deny tliat. tho soldier had a real grievaiic). but he would prefer to see the. whole question deferred till every .soldier in the Dominion had an opportunity of considering this very vital question.' At the conclusion of this delegate's address, other delegates appeared bj reluctant to carry on the debate. Every one was obviously awaiting tho speecht? of, the Wellington delegates. The chairman found it necessary to call upon delegates to save the precious minutes, and a voice from one of the Auckland delegates said: "Let's hear tho opposition." This, resulted in Mr. Batten (Wellington) rising. He proceeded 1o contradict Mr. Andrews as far as ihe charge thai: the executive had failed lo achieve anything was concerned. He said that the association' had considered tie matter of civil re-establishment loiijr before the.' word repatriation was coined, and Ihe association had submitted its points to Ihe Government, which ereaved the machinery recommended by Ihe r,s.<-u. ciation. It was thn administration of ilu , machinery of the Departments concerned which (lie association was up nsaiipt, and it was hoped thnt the association would ncliievn its cuds by means of other than political action.

The Hawera delegate considered the suggested alteration in the constitution as dangerous, although he recognised that the. association would havo to fight for (bo justice it demanded. Mr. Long (Auckland) said that however groat the energies of fho_ executive had been in obtaining recognition of its claim by tlio Government, it had not been nblo to show any very tangible results.

A very powerful point was raised by Mr. MaWe (Napier), who said lliat the Auckland delegates admitted that; politicians in the past bud made promises vliich the;' liiid never kept, and the association hail no guarantee that this would not bi! (Up enf>3 in Hie future. Political action was the first stop in the downfall of the association. It would cause it split in the o>s<x;inlion. lie quoted cases which hail come under his notion where political parties were already endeavouring to secure. Hie vole , : of the ns=or,iution. lie believed in what Gciorol Tticlilirds'nii ho,d faid rowding tlin English and political action generallr. '

The Auckland delegate? here interjected nti'l strn'iMv objected In (ho mention of General Richardson's name, ond ooinionn for the purpose of influencing the voles of the conference, as ho hnd nothing fo dn with Hie association, but the Christcburch delegates stated that the .General

was an active member of the association. The chairman refused to allow the point of order raised by Mr Andrews, who asked that the objection be noted. Mr J. A. Cowles (Masterton) cited the Educational Institute and its platform of political action. So long as the association confined its action to the interests of the soldiers it would bring about greater cohesion, than was present to-day. He did not wish to see the association interesting itself in questions ot equal pay for equal work or alien immigration. Mr. Harper answered the call for Wellington to speak.- Ho congratulated Mr. 'Vmlrews on the capable manner in winch lie had slated Auckland's By taking political action the association would alienate the sympathy of a large portion of the public and also a section of the association. Returned soldiers in ing. land had taken politcal action and had failed in gaining their objects. The sameapplied to Australia, and in his opinion such would happen in New Zealand should the remit be .carried. The association must maintain the public sjm. pathy, but political action would upset "Vr" J. B. M'Manus. of Dunedin, <lelivered a very able speech against political action, and pointed out the grave danger of a split in the ranks Lvory class of society was represented at the conference, and whilst the association remained non-political it was doing good work, but when once it became a political organisation these same classes would at once assume their different attitudes and break up the present unity. Delegates from Blenheim and Palmerston North spoke against political action as they considered it would create a split in the ranks.-but Mr. Pridhani (WanganuU argued that the time had arrived when returned soldiers should take pol Ileal action to obtain justice. fo his mind the time was ripe for such action, which was undoubtedly the only means by which the association could obtain its "Mr P. Walts (Waikato) said that'the public of New Zealand looked to returned soldiers for the right political ship, and it was up to the conference to see that they (leaned a policy which was the best possible. Mr P. de B. Brandon (Wellington) raised an interesting point regarding the eliect the passing ot the remit would have on those members of the association who were 'Civil Servants. He explained that Civil Servants would have io rea'gu for the reason that they were not permitted by the regulations to be memuers of any political organisation, fie strongly opposed tie remit. Mr, T. tirringer, of Hamilton, eaid that as'far as lie could seo the discussion had evolved itself into a fight between Auckland and Wellington. This drew forth cries of "No ,, iroin the Auckland delegates, but the delegate maintained his point. He illustrated what would follow should the association be nuulo political. The association had no funds to run a political campaign, but ho recognised tnat these funds would be eaeiiy forthcoming, and in fact they could be bought now. ' Mi'. Haycock. (Palnierston North) considered that Mr. Stringer's statement was abominaule, and. in response to cries of "Point of order," the chairman permitted Mr. Stringer to explain his etatu- | Mr.' G. Elliott (Auckland) and Mr. E. I Aidrich. (\\ ellingtou) continued the debate till the arrival of Sir James Allan, when Messrs. Harper (Wellington) and Aiidrcws (Auckland) addressed' the Minister on tiio matter of retrospective allowances. Alter the visit of the "Minister, the voto was taken on the remit, which was negatived by 45 votes to 2-t. There were live informal votes.