LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 301, 16 September 1919, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

RETURNED SOLDIERS' "DEMANDS"

Now. old woman, I have fought that bully who would have robbed you, and I mean to have every bean out of you that I cau get to reward me for my bravery, and if you don't stump up I'll break every window in vonr house and help myself.

Sir,—Surely these are not the sentiments which our returned soldiers will permit to be associated with their names, -although a recent meeting at Parliament Buildings might lead tho casual onlooker to think so.

Every man worthy,of tho name is proud and glad to havo fought for a good cause, and numerous men who were too old or too young are very envious indeed of those who have had the luck to havo been in it, but none who liavo truly fought and none who havo wished to ko and could not will sympathise with the filibuster who, havi'ig returned well and strong with numerous voluntary privileges accorded him on all sides, is now yelling to be paid an excessive price for his noble efforts. Tho returned soldier as I know him still retains (ho manly attributes which make' light of personal danger incurred in a good cause, and is not proud of being associated with those to whom 1 now allude.

I could as readily imagine the bravo bov who had saved a young' girl from drowning sticking up the parents with a gun, so as to get adequate reward, as 1 could imagine the composition of tho kind of persons who demanded our gentlemanly old Prime .Minister to remove his hat when speaking to them and broko tlie windows of Parliament Buildings so as to secure the immediate promise of a reward for bravery. I understand tho true reprcseiitativea of the Returned Soldiers' Association arc tailing steps to dissociate themselves entirely from the disgraceful and unauthorised meeting referred to. and I am proud to know that suoii is ttto case.

Nothing we ran do for those soldiers who were injured and permanently incapacitated nor for tlio dependants of tiioso who wore killed can be regarded as too muck, but as for these who return in excellent health 1 consider they are to be envied beyond all men, and should lie so assisted as to prevent their being placed in a -worse position than if they uad' remained benind, but I see nu ground whatever tor any further claim. - . No ono can deny that the prohteaiing gentleman in the absence of prbpsr Government control nas taken advantage of the war to line his i>urse (substantially, and none have been worse than tfta land speculator, thraugii whoso gambles land lis now only obtainable at prices whieh will barely yield a prolit at pre-war pnoes for produce, but these are comparatively lew. VPliat about the much more extensive salaried class—is it supposed that tliey havo benoiited by the war? There is hardly a man with a salary who has not htwi to use up a great portion, if not all, 01 ins swings to enable him to live on his remuneration at the enormously increased cost and at the sumo time subseribo to patriotic funds, and many a, young cleric lu a bank has envied a fellow-clerk at the front not only his chance or being there but also the steadily increasing balance at his current account, whilst his own balance had ceased to exist ;ong since. I hopo sincerely that our Government will have the courage to do only what they consider right and not allow themselves to be bullied by tho very tew loud-mouthed window-breakers ■ among the fine body of New Zealand soldiers of whom I trust wo shall always have cause to be as proud as we are to-day.— I am, etc., AN ARDENT ADMIRER OIF TRUE MANLINESS.