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Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1917, Page 2

A very definite principle underlies the British wav pension schome, which, for this roason, merits the dose consideration of the Parliament of this country and of those who are devoting their attention to the question of the provision that should be made by the State for the maimed in its wav service and for the dependents of those that fall* The basic prinoiple which has been adopted at Home is that ithe disabled soldier shall he at least no worse off than he would have been if he had not served. He will b* given a minimum flarirnte disablement irrespective altogether of his earnings or earning capacity. If, however, this pension is insufficient to enable him to live approximately according to his pre-war standard, he mv—subject to a limit of 76s a week, including children’s allowances—be given an alternative pension based on

his pre-war earnings. Moreover, if ha jpannot-manage for himself,” he may bo allowed up to 20s a week for the v services of an attendant. With respect ‘ to pensions payable in the case of dojith, the provision at Home is that the soldier’s widow will receive a pension which generally will be “half that which with children’s allowances, would have been awarded to her deeca3ed husband had he been totally disabled,” and in this instance again, an alternative pension may be granted to tho soldier if he had lost all earning capacity, tho maximum thus being 37s 6d a week. This seems little enough, it is true, hut an inducement is offered to widows to train for employment, and thus to increase their income. Tho liberalisation of the pensions scale at Home will involve an estimated increase of £6,500,000 a year in the amount that ha 9 to bo provided to satisfy the nation’s debt honour or an additional capital expenditure of £13,000,000. Huge as these figures are, it is generally recognised that they represent an obligation which is cheerfully to be undertaken in proof that the nation does not evade any of the liabilities of war. And the taxpayers of New Zealand may similarly be trusted to dischargo their debt of pride and honour in a measure that will be a just recognition of their obligations to the men who serve.

“Politicus,” in an article in the Fortnightly Review” on the subject of Germany’s war aims, says that a study of the pronouncements of Germany’s leading men and of the German press reveals tho fact' that her aims are would embracing. Whilst her emissaries abroad explain their country’s “reasonableness,” at home Germany demands supremacy in Europe and throughout tho world. She demands tho most far-reaching annexations in every direction. The writer quotes from the speeches of publio men in Germany, from German newspapers, and German hooks, with a view t° showing that the majority of Germans demand tho retention of the conquered territories,' not only by the right of conquest, but also because they think that Germany is morally entitled to them, because, “the German race is a master race.” They wish to convert the densely populated districts of Belgium, North-eastern France, and Western Russia into settlement colonies. “As German rulers and statesmen and the best informed politicians, generals, men of science, publicists, and businoss men arc unanimous in putting forth tho most oxtravagant claims,” says the writer in conclusion, “it is perfectly obvious that not much reasonableness can bo .expected from the German Government unless Germany is beaten.”