WORK FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 217, 8 June 1920, Page 4

WORK FOR SOLDIERS

THE GREATEST KINDNESS . GENERAL BIRDWOOD'S SUGGES- • TION. The British Empire, for the first tima in its history, had been engagwl in a national war, said General Sir William Birdwood at the New Zealand Club luncheon yesterday, and the war had been fought by civilians in the garb of 6oldiers. Ivew Zealand's need now was soldiers 1 in the garb of civilians to undertake tho work t)f development. His appeal to tho soldiers was to shake oft' war apathy, to throw themselves energetically into 'the work beforo them, and to discountenance all attempts on the part of anybody to live on tho reputation of iclie New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Niuety-nino and a half per eeut. of the men were determined to work. The remaining half pei 1 cent, probably had net worked beforo the war, and the proper treatment for a man in that group was to take him by the scruff of tho neck, and make him work, lie should not bo allowed to blabken the faces of good soldiers. The General mentioned that ho had paid a visit to Trentham Hospital, whera about 350 iniured and maimed men wero 6till receiving treatment. These men were determined to work, and' the community ought to encourage them and help them. The worst thing that could happen to a' maimed or partially disabled man to let his mind go fallow. It might seem brutal to tell a maimed man to get, to work, but nobody could do the men a greater kindness than to assist tliem to work up to their capacity. Idleness was the worst thing that eotild happen to them. He desired, in this connection, to say a word to employers. Everv war left a certain number of men suffering from shell-shock or shaken nerves. The recent war, owing to its sevore conditions and the very extensive use of artillery, had affected tho nerves of a very large number of men. These men might work well for a month or longer, and then break down temporarily. He would ask employers to be patient and sympathetic. Give the men a dozen ciiances or more if necessary. The employer should not turn thai man down even if patience were taxed to the utmost.