SOLDIERS AND POLITICS

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 9

SOLDIERS AND POLITICS

DISCUSSED BY CONFERENCE. THE CONSTITUTION AMENDED. B"Z ItEMOVAL OF PROHIBITION INCITED SPHERE OF ACTION. BY QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES V (By Teleyrapii.— Special to "Star.") t _ WELLINGTON, this d-iy. The much-del.ated subject of whether the NVn- Xeahi.nl Returned Soldiers' -\",x;.u,ou should abandon ihs present non-political attitude, was a.-.iin thrashed out at the conference of the Association laet night. Several remits were before the conference, and it was docid.-i to debate the matter on that from ChrUtchurch a* follows: "That this meeting is of opinion that the words 'non-political' should be deleted from the Ileadquarters constitution." Mr. K. W. Leadley (Christchurch). in moving the remit, he was absolutely opposed to party politics, but political action of some kind ought to he taken to enable soldiers to it-cure their ju~t demands. -Mr. J, Petherick (Christchurch) seconded the motion. He .-aid that soldiers had won the right to have a voice in the povernment of the country. That was the only position in win.-a they could ■secure for soldiers their rights. "lie did not a-lc headquarters to rake action, but ►imply to strike out the non-political clause in t.i,- consitution. Mr. R. B. Rell iWairoai moved to add io the motion the words. -Providing that the Association shall not, except by Lie r-übniL-sion of quit-tions and the publication of the answers thereto, influence or seek to influence the views ofi it? members regarding any candidate for! public office or any political or municipal party." He also suggested that The word "party" r-hoiild be inserted between! the words •■nun-political"' iu_ the original motion. -Mr. ,r. 11. l.uxforJ (Waikato) suggested that the amendment was out ot order, at- it was a direct negative. This contention was upheld by Mr. X. B. McCallum iChristchureh), who had taken the chair ill the temporary absence of Dr. Boxer. A further suggestion by Mr. Luxford that- the motion was out of order, in that it really did not amend the constitution, was not upheld. jr AN AMENDMENT MOVED. "Mr. K. W. InJer (Auckland), moved an amendment to delete the word "non" before the word ••political" in the Constitution. He said that the Association, by becoming political, could enforce its demands, and to his mind there was no body hotter fitted to educate people in regard to polities than the Returned Soldiers' Association. It had bocn said that the men of ability nnd capacity equal to the present political leaders and members could not be secured among returned soldiers, but that contention did not hold water. Why, at the conference with them was a man of the calibre of the Mayor-of Hamilton. Mr. G. \V. Wardrop (Woodville) Seconded the amendment, but said political action by the Association would mean ruin. In his own district one ot the Association's chairmen was a prominent Reformer, while another Association's chairmen was a prominent Labour man. How was the Association to get on in case., like that? , Mr. Indt.T: Abolish the parties. Hon. T. Anstey iDannevirke) asked rwbat party it was proposed to support. Mr. Inder: We would support our own party —a new National party or New Zealand party —whatever you like to call it. In the end we would become the ruling party. Continuing. Mr. T. Anstey said it iwouM be impossible to get the unanimous His association was against political action. WHAT IUCaiT,BE DONE. ' Mr. V. Potter (Auckland) referred to the manner in which school committees lad combined to push their own endf>. Tiiat was an example the Returned .Soldiers' Association might well follow. It Was not proposed to put up candidate? in each electorate, but by concerted action Candidates could be made to state plainly •β-hether they were in favour of the principles f.jr which soldiers >t.>od. He predicted that, unless soldiers were brought together by political action, the Association would be dead live years fc.Tx-.-. The bopy of a split in the Association following on political action Bhxiild be cast aiide. for surely member* had brains to evolve a policy that would find the support of soldiers throughout tin , country. At this stage various points of order fp-ere raised by opposing parties. Dr. Boxer (who had returned to the chair) then adjourned the conference for five minutes while he went into the point l r.ii-ed. rpon resuming the president said lie upheld the ruling "f the temporary chairman, although lie himself did not think tiie amendment wu* a direct negative. .A- debate had proceeded he did not think it w.i< lair to go back on the ruling. After jminy further point- of order Jlr. D. Smith ((lore) continued the debate. He opposed all political action. particularly an the Association had no definite platform before it. What, foi instance, would members of the Association cay should be done in Parliament in regard to the "P'> slow" policy in coal zuinev? Could they agree on that? What would members ilu in regard to the Bible-in-schools question, question of .State aid for Roman Catholic schools, and the matter of worker control of industries in which they were eoneernc-d ? It was imfor I lii! Association to say it was political only <m certain points. Political action Mould rcnil u»uiulor tin: Association just as effectively as five million b.jmbi=. The A-ioeiationshould keep out o f politic- .ui'l •!« haldheaiied at the pre-. i:t rin-mher- of I'arliament. A Vui.e: An.l y.ni'll be bald-headed by the time you get wliat you want. '.Mr. W. [Vrry I Wellington) said the As.,c). -ialiun. to n large extent, was nlread> a |..,liti. .1! liorty, in that it frequently ilisiu.ssi-d tl !iil;s political. Personally, however, he thought that was far a- it should yo, for unyt hintr else would splii tin- Association. a'nJ il»prive ii uf Uie uiianimous r-upport nf the pub lie. lie hoped, however, that individual returned soldiers would stand for Parliament. AUCKLAND DELKGATK/S VIEWS. Mr. T. U.ng (AtitUla-ndi said the time liiid pone when the Association sliouli p 0 .■ap-m-hand and nsk Ministers* foi li'Tht.-. Mc iii-tiiiii-eil tin- treatment ac corded to the Association-, land settle ment scheme by tua Government ac ai argument for political actiuu T -.tWithqu

political action the conference could not carry into effect its many decisions. Mr. J. D. Harper (Wellington) said . public opinion was the best instrument < to use in securing soldiers' v.elfare. li! the platiorm could be brought down to | ' suit the entire conference he would sup- i \ port political action, but until that was ' achieved be would oppose the move. It | ' would be useless to elect candidates' unless they secured the balance ofi' power. He looked upon the proposed Auckland platform as an ideal hnpossible of realisation. Without political ' action the Association had achieved a ' tremendous lot. Mr. E. F. Andrews (Auckland) said that returned soldiers, by taking political action, had a chance to make New Zealand what it should be—"God's Own Country." What the Association had gamed m the past, he said, had been secured through the Government's fear of political action. Unless the returned men put in a Government of their own. however, they would be left in the lurch after the next election, for members of Parliament would have before them a three years' lease of lite. If political action were taken members would remain loyal. He dial- ' lenpred any of the opponents to the ' scheme to stand Up and say they would ! d. sert the Association if it went in for j political action. : Mr. J. MeKenzie (Wairarapat said < that he would not be guided by the Association as to whom he should support at the election. ( HONOUR NOT POLITICS. \ Mr. D. folquhoun (Dunedinl suid his I Association would not support political '. action. His Association wanted the badge to remain a badge of honour, and 1 not a badge of a political party. Mr. R. Reid (Blenheim) said the Asso- , elation had no funds to enter politics. , Mr. J. A. C'owles (Wairarapa) held , that it was impossible to brin<r Association members under one political flag:. It was wronji to disassociate soldiers from the rest of the public. Mr. Pollock (Auckland) said he was strongly in favour of political action. Mr. X. Vereoe (Nelson) said many men had joined the Association because it was a non-political body. Mr. <;. Mitchell (Wellington) sujjfrested that, as delegates had made up their minds, it was useless to debate i the matter further. He moved that the motion be put. This proposal was lost on the voices. In answer to a question, the president said he thought that if the Association adopted a political platform Civil servants would be compelled to withdraw from membership. Mr. R. J. F. Aldrich (Wellington) opposed change in the direction of taking any other political action than it! was competent for the Association to take ak present. Mr. N. A. McCullum (Christchurch) opposed the amendment. The Association could never with safety enter party politics. Mr. W. A. A. Kord I Hastings) opposed political action on the ground that it interested only a small section of members of the Association. WAIKATO BACKS AUCKLAND. Mr. Luxford (Waikato) said the feeling of the executive of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association of to-day was that of the Auckland Association of three months ago. so that he felt hopeful that Auckland ultimately would pet its -way. The Association should Ixs prepared to take direct political action, and should not rely upon the obsolete method of putting questions to candidates. He did not wish to stress the need for political action merely on account of soldiers. The advantages and experiences of soldiers should be used for the benefit of the whole country in Parliament. He denied that it was impossible for soldiers to agree upon a programme, nnd to prove lib contention read copious extracts from the platform proposed by the Auckland Association for the benefit of country associations. He said they should enter politics. Captain R. P. Black (Dunedin) likened political action to the moon. If looked at with the naked eye it looked line, but if it was looked into thoroughly it was seen to be a dead world. Mr. C. W. Ratten (Wellington) said it was time that each man looked at politics from the point of view of his own benefit. It would be as impossible to unify thp Returned Soldiers' Association in regard to politics as to unify the great middle class of the country. In reply. Mr. Leadley said that if the conference voted for the motion it would not binil the Association to take J political action. It left it free to do as it liked on the subject, instead of being bounl as at present to a non-political attitude. TIIH AMENDMENT CARRIED. A division was taken, and the amendment was endorsed by 4(i to 27. : Mr. A. B. Sievwrijrht (Wellington) ! then moved the following further amend- ' merit: "Tiie Association shall be nonsectarian and non-political as regards ' partiir and the "Hate, but in so far as ' all questions pertaining directly to soldiers" interests may b;> political, then so far and no farther shall the R.S.A. be political.'" This, he said, would not bind members to support tiny particular party but would give the Association power to ' inquire into the views of candidates for the beneiU of members. 1 Mr. Harper i Wellinston) seconded the ' nmi-ii iment prn forma. .Mr. lit'll (Wiiiron) jrave notice of his ' intension to move the amendment ruled lout of order by the temporary chairman. ' This »a- accepted by tin , president. 1 Mr. SievwrisrhtfSs amendment was lost on tin , wiices. Discussion on Mr. BelTs amendment ' wti* interrupted by three notices of • amendment;, by Mr. Inder (Auckland), 1 all of which .'vere ruled out of order. ' I'ltimnHv Mr Bell's amendment was carried liv •"><> votes to :{(!, and became ■ the substantive motion. At l.&i n.m. Mr. T. Long (Au.-kland) moved us an amendment. " That all words after "non-party political' in the draft constitution, be -truck out." Mr. Ttulcr (Auckland) was about to give notice of a further amendment when Mr. Leadley (Christeiiurch) moved, and Mr. Andrews (Aucklandl seconded an adjournment of the debate. Strong exception to the proposal to adjourn was voiced by Mr. Harper (Wellington) who said the'idea was simply to prolong the debate unduly. Mr. Luxford (Waikato) said he hart been defeated, and was prepared to accept the verdict of the conference. He n»reej that it was wrong to adopt Parliamentary procedure for the purpose of putting up a stonewall. Mr. Inder (Auckland) spoke in .similar sti-.iin. The proposal to adjourn was lost on the voices. Mr. Lonir explained that his amendmeiit would allow each Association to decide for itself what attitude it should take on the question. In seconding the amendment. Mr. An- • drew* (Auckland) said thai if Auckland 1 representative* were defeated they would r abide by the decision loyally. but would - try to reverse the decision next year. - The amendment was lost on a show of n hands, and the original motion, as t amended __

THE PRESENT POSITION. J P-y omission of the words "non-politi-cal" from the constitution as provided | for by the Christchurch amendment, the U Association is free to take action in re- j gard to political affairs, but the resolu- j tion as passed carries with it Mr. Bell's | addition debarring the Association from party politics, in that it shall not, except 'by submission of questions and publications of answers thereto, seek to influence the views of its members regarding any candidate for public office or any political or municipal party.' .