WELCOMING SOLDIERS HOME.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1941, Page 4

WELCOMING SOLDIERS HOME.

A GOOD deal lias been said in criticism ol' llie reception given to a party of some hundreds of New Zealand soldiers who have returned to this country wounded after taking part in the campaign in Greece. It has been emphasised particular]} that no prior notification was given of a procession ol the wounded soldiers in Wellington, and that as a result there was no public assemblage to give the welcome that was due. As one of the critics has said, the facts certainly are not Jo be taken as indicating a lack of public interest in the soldiers or of appreciation of their sacrifices and deeds ol valour on the battlefield. Since there will be universal agreement in this matter, theie should be no great difficulty in averting a repetition of the fiasco which is,now a subject of complaint. It is primari!} Im the Government to determine whether the conditions ol seciec} imposed as a safeguard may be modified to the extent tli.it would permit an effective public welcome to be given Io woumlei soldiers. If these conditions cannot he modified, a public welcome, in the full sense, presumably, should not- be attempted. Whether that is the position or not,' no opportunity should be lost of giving to men who return sick or wounded from the front every possible care and attention. Consideiation i.-> (U( not least to those of them who are unfittted by wounds or sickness from taking any part in public assemblages or, having incurred some lasting disability, are under a handicap in > l J sinning their place in civil life, ft is in instances of. this kind, above all, that, we are bound as a community to recognise and act upon our obligation to the men who have faced and incurred on o.ur behalf all the perils of war, and this not only at the time of the homecoming of our soldiers, but during the. remamdei o their lives. Every effort should lie. made to : give a worthy welcome to the members of our fighting forces as they return, invalided or well, but it is still more important that sustained attention and thought should be given to the full and faithful discharge in every way, now and as time goes on, ol the obligation we owe to those who have served their country m war.