OUR DUTY TO THE CIVIL COMMUNITY.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 33, 29 October 1920, Page 8

OUR DUTY TO THE CIVIL COMMUNITY.

A great deal has been heard on many platforms, since the soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force commenced t'o return in large numbers, of the dnty of the eivil communjty towards the returned rnen. Less has been heard of-the duty of the returried soldier towards the civil community which is making, oy means of the various* repatriative measures, an organised effort to get the men back into civil life as far as circunistances permit, so that, in ihe shortest possible time. cvery soldier may stand on his feet as oue of the ordinary members of the civil community, and a self-supporting one at tliat. A huge amount oi money and much time has been spent by the Gov. ernment and various local bodies in assisting men back into civiliSn life, and t-ie time has arrived when in fairness to the community, we must individually ask ourselv.es: "Are we doing all inat we civil community might reasonably expect us to do for ourselves V ' Government assistance can, in the nature of thrngs, be only temporary in character, and every returiled man ou.ght to recognise *nat lacl, and usc his utmost endeavour to maue his way in life and direct the whole of his energy to increase the countr.y'g production. We must endeavour to remember that every sum of money raised for our benefit, whether by voluntaxy effort or by compulsory loans enforced by the Government, casts an additional burden on the community of which we form part, not only directly by the added interest charges which have to be rais.ed in the future irom tne tnxpayers, but also indirectly owing to the fact that every contribution to

such fund reduces the capital that would otherwise be available to start new industries, or to extend those already established. lt is in this direction of the establisliment of new indusfries and the extension of existing ones that we must depend for a large measure of our repatria. tign. We may spc-ak of the provisions of the Discliarged Soldiers' Settlement Act, and the large field for repatriation in this direction ; but w,e are not all iarmers ! In New Zealand the development of our primary industries stands pre-emment, and must be dcveloped a.s much as possible. It is nevertheless true that Cney do not represent the whole of our industrial activity, or possible avenues of industrial development. It is therefore evident that the channels of effective repatriation are in the whole realm of our industrial activity — a sphere which will absorb all classes and conditions of men, whether f'armers or not. Whatever may be our lot in the community, let us keep the problem of increased production stcadily in view. It is the duty of the returned man to direct his energies towards the increase of production, by every means in his power, and to throw the influence of his weight behind law and order, to discountenance any revolutionacy tactics, no matter by wliom advocated, and wliile insisting on a fair deal to himself and his comrades, to be equallv ready to insure a fair deal to others. The soldiers of this Dominion must play their part in citizenship and

should take an active part in the political destiny of» the country. It ie impera-tive that new energy be infused into our political life. The Dominion to-day has not a Government that represents and possesses the confidence of the people. Liheralism is dead and the proposed farmers' party is doomed to failure. It is unable to absorb the mass of the workers. The present Government cannot do it, and a New Zealand party with a man of General Russell's type leading it could successfully embrace all sections. It must oe a party for the advancement of New Zealand, and lree from the hypocritieal tendencies in our ypresent day political activity.