The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1915. A NAVAL CONTINGENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 92, 21 April 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1915. A NAVAL CONTINGENT.

It is common knowledge that there are to-day quite a mini her of unattached naval men resident in Australia who are dialing under a disability to serve the Empire as is their earnest desire. These men, who arc mostly | ex-lmperial service men and rcser-j vists are anxious to take active part in 1 the lighting, hut, not unnaturally, | thev have a Navy man’s usual object-' ion to soldiering," and are not inclined to join the colonial Expeditionary I Forces which are being sent forward. They declare that in no circumstances will they enlist in the military. Still,! as one of them put it to a Sydney | press respresentative, they want to have a hand in things, and they think that the opportunity should he provided in the shape of an Australian Expeditionary Naval Force. It is point- 1 ed out that many of the live hundred strong naval force that went to New (lumen were formerly service men and reserves, and besides these it is known that there are many others who did not join that contingent. So it is thought that there are in Australia quite sufficient men to warrant (he formation of an independent naval force for duty in European waters or elsewhere, providing landing parties, or in any other useful capacity. A 1 strong argument advanced by those interested in the matter is that these men are already trained, and could be got away at very short notice, and therefore would compare very favourably with raw recruits. Already some men are known to have taken their passages to England, being anxious to play their part in the war. and seeing that there was apparently little chance of them getting away from Australia except in a capacity which they disliked, and for which they considered them selves unsuitable. In these circumstances it is held that it is a loss to Australia, in the part she is playing in her assistance ol (treat Britain, that there is no Expeditionary Force which would absorb a large number of men who are really aux-i ions to fight. II is understood that

a movement is being arranged to bring this matter under t ho notice of tlio. Federal Minister for Defence in the hope that lie will appreciate, the situation, and, maybe, take neb

steps as would enable all the willing navy men in Australia to take their place in an accredited Australian I'.xpedilionary Naval Force.

RUSSIAN UTERATURfc.

It is only within the past few years that British people have discovered Russian literature. Though it may oiilv he said to have begun a century ago it is, according to the judgment of a writer in the Loudon Times, considerably purer than our own. “The bulk of it,” he says, “can be given to any young man or woman whether their upbringing has been in the good traditional way or in the had modern frank way.” -Mr John Galsworthy, a writer of note in England. states that the pre-eminent quality; the special characteristic of Russian writers, is spiritual truth, the depth and directness, the utter sin-1 cerity, with which they face life in all its shifts. The infection of this is the real benefit and delight that English above all other readers may. hope to get from Russian literature, besides the satisfaction of our de-j sirable curiosity about the national life of our new ally.