COMPULSORY SERVICE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1461, 19 October 1915, Page 3

COMPULSORY SERVICE.

“An Only Son’s Mother,” writing to the Morning Post says:— One very striking proof that we need compulsory service is that our brave men can only be granted a few days’ leave from the front at very irregular and rare intervals. If there were enough men behind the line ready trained to take their places many of them could be saved from the distressful nerve troubles which are only too prevalent through the constant strain which they endure. Indeed, we with only sons know full well the injustice of the voluntary system. Back and back they have to go ; worn out for the want of sleep, scarcely dry alter their last days in tbe trenches before their turn comes round again ; exhausted by bard manual work in the hot sun ; and pestered by flies when they might sleep ; harder still, they are sent back again and again after wounds or sickness. And all the while thousands of men, equally able, are living their comfortable civilian lives, sleeping every night in a real bed, and feeling quite safe while our boys die for them. It seems as if the nation look advantage of those who offered freely. It certainly takes them all. A week’s rest at stated tervals is tbe very least “leave off” these meu should be granted in such an extraordinary war, and they can only have it if those who have had the whole of this first year of war “on leave” are now sent without delay to do their “bit.”