SOLDIERS AND POLITICAL ACTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 304, 19 September 1919, Page 8

SOLDIERS AND POLITICAL ACTION

Sir,—After careful consideration, the recent Ch'ristchurch (conference of returned soldiers from all parts of New Zealand decided against political action, and I have come to the conclusion that that decision was a wise one. As it would appear tn.it there are some members of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association who wish to force political action, I wish lo express my conviction that not 30 uer cent, of the returned men in the citv. and less than 15 per cent, in the country, favour it. I spoke to twenty returned men whom I chanced to meet individually in the street to-day,' and only four of those twenty approved political action. The only link which will hold the returned men together is one of comradeshin and common service rendered. As soldiers thev had one bond and aim. As citizens their ways, their callings, their ambitions, and their thoughts are as manv and as varied as the soldiers themselves. It is. right and good that such isthecas?, I have heard a soldier speakins on behalf of the extreme Labour Party. On the other hand I am informed that the returned soldiers in their respective districts will vote solidly for Mniors Coates and Hine, no matter what party they support. It is impossible, therefore, to have any unity of political action among men representing every class of life and ■ thought. Political action would divide our comrades against themselves. I believe it would prevent manv from joining the Ii.S.A. movement, and cause many more to resign. e would take sides against the people and alienate the support of many of our most generous friends. On the liquor question alone wo won d divide the people against: us. _ We would also exclude our comrades'in the Government service, and they are many. If we were defeated at the polls it would be a mandate to those successful that what the soldiers asked was not to bo granted. We have no funds to finance snofr a -movement, and it is doubhul if those supporting it are strong enough or wealthv enough to do so. ' Then why take all these risks and imperii the association wheu our legitimate aims can he attained without doing so? By all means let us induce returned soldiers to stand as citizens of our country and as citizens we will loyally support them, if thev have been good soldiers, made good oii tho field, and arc worthy of our suiiDort. We will do this as citizens without any official direction from the RSA. Wo must realise that the war was a passing phase in our lives, not life itself: that we are citizens again, with all a citizen's duties, responsibilities, and privileges. , We have a vote and a rkht to use it as we think nt; but I think wo should keep tho association quite clear of political,, sectarian, or •pnstv strife, and let our aim be to make the association 'worthy of the-best element of returned soldiers. _ _ If this political action was in the soldier's best interest all our leaders on tho Peld from General Russell down, would not be against it. We never required the united' support of all people, and to be a united body ourselves, so much as now: and I aty afraid this political wedito means the first split and our ultimate and final' disintegration. I hope this matter will be carefuly and earnestly considered from both sides before we irretrievably commit our association to

it To attain any success as a political party it is necessary that we be well organi'sed, united, ami whole-hearted for it ourselves, but such is far from the case. If there is any doubt about this point, and thoro in' authority would tab a secret ballot of all members, 1 think tho party political movement would be decisively and finally defeated. I hear of likely soldier-candidates, and I trust that these men will stand and sincerely hope they are elected; hut let them stand as .citizens, and they will receive tho loyal and united support of a 1 soldieis andalso that of a «rateful ami generous people.-I am, etc,

Wellington. September 1".