SOLDIER. JOURNALISTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 300, 15 September 1919, Page 6

SOLDIER. JOURNALISTS

WELCOMED BY THE PROFESSION. The journalists of New Zealand,, like other sections of the community, contributed their full share of war services, and it is no exaggeration to say that every fit man., in the profession either went overseas or- was in camp preparing for embarkation whyi the armistice was signed. And the casualties among the soldier-journalists were proportionately as great as compared with other sections-. Most of the men who came through safely have now returned to New Zealand, and practically all have re-entered Ine profession and have settled down to their daily- work without- noise or fuss. The local section of the returned soldiers were' tendered a- complimentary, dinner on Saturday evening at Astor House, Willis Street", and a, highly success! ui iunctiou it proved to be. Mr. C. Earle (editor of l The Dominion) presided, and there were between 50 and 60 journalist's present, including the chiefs of the other city papers and several visit, ing journalists. After the loyal toast was the chairman proposed the toast of "Our Guests," and in doing so said the Press of New Zealand during tho war had truly reflected tho spirit of the people and their comrades of fiio Press who, went to tho front had translated that spirit into action. The wholu country had endeavoured to show its admiration and gratitude to the soldiers who had made 6uch sacrifices overseas for those who had stayed at horiHT. They as journalists had shown their appreciation and admiration for tho splendid services of the' men who went to the front, but thoy had felt that they would -like to meet in a more intimate w.ay their own soldier-comrades of tho Press; they felt they would like to tell them all how much they appreciated the honour, they had brought to the Press by their' conduct throughout tho war, and to welcome them homu in their own little social circle. It was unnecessary to dwell .at length on what these men had gone through, what they had done, and what they had suffered, but he would like to tell them of one incident that happened at Glasgow. Tho overseas Press representatives when visiting Glasgow last year were entertained by the Lord Provost, and the speaker sat alongside of a general who had distinguished himself during the war. At this gathering there were pressmen present from Australia, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand, and in " tho course of the evening tho General remarked to tho speaker, whom he did not know, noither did die know what part of tho Empire he came from: "You know these New Zealanders are splendid troops. If I wero a Napoleon and I wanted an army to conquer the world, and I had tho choice of all the troops on the Western front to-day, I would pick an army'of New Zealanders. The General was asked |Why ho would select the New Zealanders, what special qualities did they possess? and he replied: "I have 'been a staff officer sinco tho be; ginning of the war; I know-the troop; of all the Allied nations, and I know tho German troops, and when I single out the New Zealanders, it is not exactly that they are braver than the other men; it is not exactly that they are more dashing in attack; it is not that they have greater tenacity and greater powers of endurance, or better discipline—it is that they havo all these qualities; tliev have discipline, they can attack as well as any troops, they can 'stick it,' they, can do all tho things wanted in a soldier, and they aro quicker to learn than any troops I know." That General placed tiie New Zeiiilaiidera first, and'some of those New Zealandors were their guests that evening. Another incident tho speaker related occurred at a gathering in London in honour of the overseas Pi ess delegates. It was an ordinary ( gathering of newspaper men, and each. one present was called upon to teM a storv or crack a joke. Thoy had got to talking about, the performance? of tho overseas dominions, and a man sitting next to Mr. Earle, when called upon jumped up, and thumping the tabic, said: "By God, I am going to say something; I am going to say this: I take off my hat to New Zealand. I am a Canadian, 1 hnvo been through this war since Belgium was first invaded. Canadians havo fought alongsido all tho Allies, and by God I take off my hat to tho New Zealanders." It was Mt. F. A. Mackenzie, the Canadian official war correspondent, who thus expressed his admiration tor the New Zealanders, and even when reminded of the fact that tho whole wor!d ■took off its hat to that gallant Scotch Canadian regiment that stood fast at Ynros under tho dreadful deluge of that first German gas attack until praotieally the wholo forco was exterminated, Mr. Mackenzie got up and said: I think a lot of the Canadians, but I still take oil mv hat to tho, Now Zealanders, and, added Mr. Earle, amongst tho New Zealanders wero their guests of that ovemng. Tho toast was drunk with musical honours, ami \nifl responded to by Cnjv tn in Sliaiul, and Lieutenants G. r»atusch, K. T.itlCe, and H. Drew. _ 'Mr. Tlardcastle ("Evening Post') proposed the toast of the "New Zealand Press," which was responded to by Mr. It. A. Loughnan ("New Zealand Times"). An exceptionally fine musical and elocutionary programme was contributed to by Rignor Cosaroni, and Messrs. H. F. Wood, P. S. Latham, C. Moore, R. Meates, A. W. Newton, Norman Aitken, and A. Fogarty, who gavo of their best.,