RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1919, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

AN IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION. (Published by arrangement.) The following open letter is addressed to all returned soldiers by the executive of the New Zealand Moderate League:—Wellington, Dec. 10, 1919. Gentlemen, — In view of the attempts being mads by the Prohibition Party to discount the clear expression of opinion that you gave against prohibition at the April referen. dum, and the statements made by them that the soldiers' votes were cast against prohibition because of alleged misrepresentations made by this League in the letter which we had the honor of addressing to those of you who were overseas at the time, the executive of the League wishes firstly to record its opinion that the soldiers' vote was the result of the studied judgment of the men themselves and was uninfluenced by any partisan propaganda. The letter sent by the Moderate League to the soldiers prior to the referendum was a plain statement of facts and the contents thereof still stand uncontroverted. Any returned soldier can check for himself the allegations made by the Moderate League against the prohibitionists as follows:

(1) That the Prohibitionists took advantage of the absence of the large body of men on active service to attempt to secure a catch vote. Proof: See resolution of New Zealand Alliance in Dominion newspaper of April 10, 1918, in which an immediate poll was demanded and no mention whatever was made about the soldiers' right to vote. (Note also that at tbi same meeting the Alliance pass-, ed a resolution urging the Government to "stop the sale of liquor at all ports of landing and at all places where troop trains stop with returned soldiers." The Moderate League immediately met and objected to any vote being taken while the soldiers were away—(See Wellington papers, April 11th, 1918). It was after this that the Prohibition Party, seeing the game was up, admitted the rigjit of 4 lie soldier to vote on the referendum. In its original demand for an immediate poll to take plaw during 1918 the Prohibition Party inad-i no reference whatever to the soldiers' vote. If further proof is required of the League's statement that the Prohibitionists were pressing for a vote before the soldiers came back it is only necessary to turn to the report of the Rev. R. S Gray's speech in the Wellington Town Hall on August 9th, 1918, when he said: "Let us have this menace out of the road and the path cleared before the* boys come home." Also speeches of Mr. L. M. Isitt, M.P., in Auckland on July 29th, 1918, and of Mrs, Don, in Dunedin, on July 31st, 1918. (2) That the Prohibitionists endeav- ' ored to besmirch the good name of the soldiers and brand them before the world as drunkards in order to secure some immediate advantage for their propaganda.

Proof: See report of meeting W.C.T.U., March 23rd, 1915, resolution demanding prohibition of all soldiers in uniform. Methodist Conference resolution, February 24, 1015, asking for prohibition of all soldiers in uniform. Similar resolution of Dunedin Presbytery, May sth, 1015. Prohibition deputation to Minister of Education, May 25th, 1915. The following is a typical illustration of the opinions expressed by the Prohibitionists. Extract from speech of Rev. Scorgie at Dunedin Presbytery (vide "Otago Daily Times," May sth, 1915): — "It should be made absolutely impossible for soldiers to obtain drink. The present position in Wellington and other places was a grave disgrace and a scandal to the community. s'oung men's names were being placed on rolls of honor a . over the

country and the next thing they heard was that these men were seen drunk. The rolls of honor WOULD SOON BE ROLLS OF DISHONOR if that sort of thing went oil. The Government should make it impossible for men in camps to obtain liquor, and," concluded Mr. Scorgie, ' ANYONE FOUND TAKING IT IN SHOULD BE STRIPPED AND FLOGGED." It was because of such records as this in the public press of New Zealand that ! ;th<sVModerftte League felt it a duty to v'/ftiiquaint the absent soldiers not only |-with the altered law, but with the monner in which the Prohibitionists had vilified them for propaganda purposes. Xii satisfied with securing "dry" camps and troopships from their friend the Minister of Defence, the Prohibitionists even demanded that the hospital ships should be "dry," as witness resolutions in the press of June 11th, 1915, and subsequent '. Ministerial statements. To add further to the mass of unwarranted abuse and slanderous accusations both direct and implied levelled against the soldiers by the Prohibitionists, the W.C.T.U. Convention in Christehureh (vide. "Evening Post," March 23rd, 1915) urged the "Minister of Defence "to take immediate steps to appoint women patrols to workin the neighbourhood of the camps o? Expeditionary Forces for safeguarding young people and the prevention of disorderly conduct." Returned soldiers may for themselves turn up the records in "Hansard" of the speeches of Prohibition M.P.'s in Parliament when .the early closing question was before the House. They will find there unfounded statements about the frightful condition of drunkenness in which the soldiers were taken back to camp each night from Lambton Station. Fortunately a committee of members with moderate views made special investigations and were able to publicly refute in Parliament the slanders that were levelled against the men. Ail sensible people realised, as you did yourselves. that a few men got "over the odds," hut the object of Prohibitionists was to brand the whole of the men in the hope of securing an advantage for their propaganda. During the five years of war the Moderate League has done its bent to preserve the liberty of the subject and at the same time endeavor to have the liquor laws amended along sensible lines to bring about a better service and remove all reproaches. The League hold< that under State Purchase and Control j great improvements can be made without ■ trespassing in any way on personal j liberty and free choice in this mftttitr. i