The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1915. WORK YET TO DO.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 51, 29 October 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1915. WORK YET TO DO.

A point of very :great importance in connection with our duty to returned wounded soldiers and also towards those who are more nearly related to the men who are lighting in the great hattlefronts to-day, was touched upon at a meeting of the Cardiff Patriotic Committee the other evening by .Mr G'eo. A. .Merchant. There was the danger, he pointed out, that while we may lie doing a great deal individually. tlie real human touch might be lacking in the efforts made. Naturally all of us who are prevented from taking a place in the trenches, feel that nothing can be too good for the men who have done their duty well and nobly, and as a State we are making reasonable provision to meet the calls which must come ahd which are already right here with the arrival, of the hist contingents of sick and, wounded warriors from Gallipoli. The Government has provided pensions for wounded soldiers who may return abled or partially disabled. It has provided allowances for the depend-J cuts of those who are on active ser-, vice; and on as liberal a scale as they fairly could, has provided for the payment of pensions to the dependents of those who fall in the Empire's service. But this is not all, and while the impersonal attentions of the Go-! vernment. through its proper administrative channels are all that could be fairly expected, there is the duty of a closer personal interest before us. Mr Marchant doubtless voiced what must; have occurred to many in the sentiments he expressed, and undoubtedly wo ought to do something. His idea is that the local Patriotic Committees in each centre may do valuable work by appointing with discretion certainj members whose duty it will be to get, into closer touch with the returned wounded ones, or with friends, and sympathetically to learn their real wishes and, where possible, their views as to their own iuture. If this were done the Patriotic Committees might take action as a result of this human touch which would be really beneficial. As an example; A young man returns to the district invalided, who had perhaps worked for years on some farm before the war broke out, but whose blood relatives all live in another land. Possibly be is unfitted for his old calling by the nature of his injuries, and while for a time accepting the hospitable invitation to stay at tin* home of an old employer, does not care to outstay bis welcome, and one day wanders oil and is utterly lost sight of. If, bow-

ever, proper and tactful inquiry were made by some one whose semi-offivial duty it was to do so, a practicable | scheme of putting such a case on f ej right road to happiness and independence might be evolved, without, the slightest feeling of loss oi self-res-pect on the part of the one to whom this hand of friendship had gone forth. The trouble will be, unless ( some such step is taken, that with the best intentions collectively, what is everybody’s business is nobody s business, and there will, in consequence, arise sad cases of neglect. It might be well if the Government helped also in another direction, and that is by notifying the secretary of the Patrio-1 tie Committee of any district of the death of any soldier at the same time as the next-of-kin is notified. It may be that a poor mother is lett or that a lonely widow is stricken by the blow, but if the Patriotic Committees kne\V| when to Kct and had arranged with aj women’s sub-committee ' to appointj sympathetic ones to visit such cases and to render practical help it such were required, it would again be evidence of the deep human sympathy wo all must feel. Some organisation is certainly needed on these or similar lines, and Patriotic Committees might well give the matter some consideration. There are many surely in our midst with warm hearts and kindly natures, who have been able to do very little perhaps in other, ways to help the Empire, but if they are able to find work in the direction of making 1 life smoother for some of their stricken fellows, they will have accomplished a noble task, it is merely how is the task best undertaken P