Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1031, 23 July 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

MILITARY TRAINING Sir. Poor old “Vae Victis”! He fails to realise that too lons the world has suffered from military domination, military government and military mindedness, and at long - last peace is the universal cry. In his diatribe in Monday's Sun, “Vae Victis" writes nothing which could possibly induce any critics of compulsory military training to modify their views. Parrotlike, he repeats the same old catchphrases beloved by braided militarism in all its glory. “Little New Zealand,” he says, “attempts to give the world a lead in peace matters." Surely he realises that boy conscription has been abolished in the Irish Free State, Canada. Australia. South Africa, Newfoundland. Northern Ireland, Southern Rhodesia. Malta, the Isle of Man. and Channel Islands. Why? Simply because conscription is not British, and is a senseless plaything masquerading under the name of an army. “Vae Victis’s” ridiculous assertion can best be answered by the following extract from H. G. Wells’s “Research Magnificent”:—“Science is either slave or master. This people—l mean the German people and militarist people generally—have no real mastery for the scientific and economic forces on which they seem to ride. The monster of steel and iron keeps Kaiser and Germany and all Europe captive. It has persuaded them to mount upon its back, and now they must follow the logic of its path. Whither? Only kingship will ever master that beast of steel, which has got loose into the world. Nothing but the sense of unconquerable kingship in us will ever dare withstand it. Men must be kingly aristocrats—it is not ‘may be’ now. it is ‘must be’—or these confederated metals, these things of chemistry and metallurgy, these explosives and mechanisms, will trample the blood of life out of our race into mere redstreaked froth and filth.” NO MORE WAR. Hamilton, July 22. THE POLL TAX Sir. — Can you tell me what material good the latest tax is going to do, and in what way it is going to help solve th«* present unemployment problem? It is an absolutely futile move on the Government’s part and only serves to emphasise its inability to cope with the

crisis. It is grossly unfair to the working man. Hasn’t he enough to do to make his way honestly, keep clear of debt, and put a little away for a rainy day And the man with a family, how does he manage now on the working wage? Is it just to add to his burden of responsibility? Who is (or are) responsible for the monetary shortage? Think of the enormous financial waste on unproductive undertakings. Indirectly the working man has to pay for these mistakes. Why saddle him with fresh ones? As everyone knows, if affairs ’forere managed capably there would be no shortage of work. New Zealand is full of endless resources which if turned to account would set every man busy. It needs enterprising management, but unfortunately that most essentia! gift, so necessary to progress, is iacking in those who rule our country. A man doesn’t want to exist on a dole. He wants to work hard for his money and with a country that would provide so many outlets for everyone’s energy why isn’t a man given a chance to do his bit? The poll tax will not ease the situation one iota, but, if It, is enacted, will just add to our present list of taxes. It will soon be the easiest way out for all men to follow the line of least resistance and join the ranks,of the unemployed. NIPPER. THE WOMEN’S CASE Sir, — Permit me space in your valuable paper to voice my protest in what seems to me a lack of vision on the part of the hon. member who sponsored the Unemployment Bill now before the House of Representatives. The Bill makes provision for unemployed men only, with no provision for unemployed women. I know of a good many women who are facing unemployment at the present time, with a hopeless outlook as far as employment goes for the future. What are the unemployed women to do if no provision is made for them in the Act? Surely the Act will not go through Parliament without some provision made for unemployed women? I am led to understand that the Women’s Branch of the Labour Party has set up an unemployment bureau at the Trades Hall in order that unemployed women may register. I hope the women of Auckland will take advantage of this opportunity so that some idea of the number of workless women shall be known. A. M. CASSIE.