WAR GRATUITIES

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

WAR GRATUITIES

Sir,—The soldiers' claim in this matter has thrown a vivid light upon tho evil arising from the modern practice of thinking of our national enterprise in money terms, instead of keeping in mind tho natural realities of which money is merely' tho token or symbol. Pew peoplo would hesitate to give our soldiers a gratuity of ,£l5O each if that amount were available for the purpose, and tho war has taught us that under proper organisation that amount could probably bo made available in the not distant future; but the essential question is: "Is that sum, or anything approaching it, available now?" It is useless to talk of money for this purpose, because money is merely a token of some property which has a value to man, either for his own use or for the preservation and development of his property. It is therefore necessary to sco whether out of the property wo have wo can spare for the soldiers a special gratuity to the extent of Now tho property we have available consists, of tho current'food and clothing aud means of shelter, recreation, and transport, and tho other things to property which are necessary for . our living, .and the lands, machinery, buildings, railways, mines, forests, etc., through which our living requirements in property are secured. Then we havo from .£25,000,000 to in propertv interests held by the Government and'tho Bank of New Zealand in England which can be exchanged for property suited to our requirements and brought to New Zealand. It is out of these properties then that our soldiers are to get their gratuities. They would in tho ordinary course want to use some of these funds in buying human servico of different kinds, but as they would neetf to pay for this in property it is obvious that we havo to iind tho whole amount in property. The gratuities must then bo found out of our proporty in New Zealand or in England. If out of property in Now Zealand, then which property is to bo appropriated for tho purpose? In tho ease of many articles of food, and clothing, and heat, and lighting, there is now a shortage aud tho effect of supplying funds to purchaso these would merely put our soldiers at an advantage at the expense of tho poorest class of our people. In fact, so for as our current living is concerned it will bo found that there is not much surplus that can bo given to our soldiers without taking away tho needs of others. Then, if tho gratuity is to be given out of our permanent property, what kind of an interest is to be given in this property? There nro gravo practical difficulties in tho way of such a proposal. Tho Government could, of conrso, pass an Act charging tho whole of tho property in New Zealand with n loan of jC15,000,0(Kl, issue sorip to the soldiers for that sum, and levy a land and property charge or tax to pay tho interest on it, but in tho long run the soldiers would probably find they and their families were paying tho tax themselves with something added, Again, if the gratuity is to ■ bo given out of the property in England, in what form is that property to bo imported, and how is the taking of that money for this purposo going to affect our national enterprise, whose needs in foreign commo- ' dities for now development aro very great,? Is it not well that our soldiers should investigate the realities of our national problem for themselves. They constitute now our main supply of energy, initiative, and organising knowledge, but they, havo also the responsibility 'inseparable from these powers. When, therefore, they nuiko a demand such as this upon tho Government they should realise that they aro attempting to shoulder their responsibility on to the Government, and it necessarily follows that they must Rive tho Government autocratic powers, otherwise they will fail in their purpose. Our soldiers should realise both their power and their responsibility. They have helped to win the war by following tho plan of ascertaining the requirements in human service and property of every member, mid branch, of their Army; and so organising their human energy and property that every part was used 'to the fullest advantage in a comprehensive programme, in the ' common aim of procuring those requirements of tho best possible quality. That is the policy which throughout history .-litis been the only productive policy in war and peace. Our soldiers are trained in it—why do they not lead us into it as our national policy, away from our prosent policy of lnissca faire? In this policy all purposes to be served bv pensions, allowances, advances and gratuities would be met in a degree unattainable by tho process of money grants; and it is surely no objection to its adoption that it also happens to conform with the law of mutual help or "Lovo thy neighbour as thyself." In war soerecy is necessary, and there-

foro military discipline, but in peace, in a democratic community, wo must, havo eclf-disciplino and organisation as in our national games beforo we can be a bappy and prosperous people. If then our soldiers will concentrate tlieir minds on a programme for the development of our human energy and tho procuring of property suitable for that purpose, they will secure for themselves, and for us, much greater wealth and happiness than, can ik won by devoting their minds to tho securing of Parliamentary grants of "money."—l am, etc., E. G. DALZIELL. September 13, 1910.