ANZAC DAY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22389, 30 April 1938, Page 20

ANZAC DAY

TO TBI KPITOfc OF I'HI PRESS. Sir,—Yes, "G-A." is quite right—l do advocate the protective, vitamincontaining foods because I know that without them physical and mental vigour is impaired. But Ido not say that the intelligence so quickened is to be devoted to studying to discover the most vital spots in Man's anatomy in which to plunge the bayonet, or for efficiency in gunfire practice. Darwin gave indisputable evidence to prove that evolution is largely dependent on food and environment. It is evident that he was right, and when our early progenitor gained enough reason to go into the trees to escape from their enemies, and then started to feed on nuts, rich in the unsaturated fats, of which the nervous system is largely composed, evolution was still further hastened. But it is well to remember that although survival of the fittest in the animal world is largely due to brute strength, as we ascend in the scale survival is due to overcoming the lusl to kill. I often used to .wonder during the war, in the days of my unbelief in spiritual thing* how the teachers of religion could reconcile war and peace A picture of the Man Jesus, of whom they talked, with a sword in one hand and the Dove of Peace in the was beyond my comprehension. Today I know that they are incompatible If we have not yet the faith which brings protection, I maintain that it ir better to die in the defence, of wha* we have than to go out with the brand of Cain upon us. Later I will eive a few instances of vhnt prayer did for some of the soldiers during the Great War. —Yours etc., M. G. DA VIES. April 29. 1938.

to mm editor or tct p»esb. I Sir, —On Anzac Day 1 in addresses given from 3YA the two speakers I made particular reference to the work of our, troops at Gallipoli and in I France. .Mention was also made of the I work of the Navy. They stated, too. I that French and English trpops were | also at Gallipoli. The correct term to bs used should have been British troops, as at the landing troops were present from Scotland and Ireland, as well. It was surprising that in their enthusiasm in extolling the work in Gallipoli and French sectors of war, One body of New Zealanders and Australians was entirely forgotten. I am i i-eferring to the Sjnai-trans-Jordania ! company. No mention at all was made concerning these men. It was noticeable, too, that throughout the Dominion many press reports of the speakers on Anzac Day contained no reference to these men either: Of course, the press is not blamed for this omission. Many critics regarded this campaign as a sideshow of the war, but if they wanted anything hotter or more stren-uous-than some of -the- engagements between ill-fated Gaza and Amman across the Jordan they would indeed be hard to please. Casualties and hardships in thig campaign were, in proportion to the numbers engaged, just as bad as those in any other war ,zone. Statistics of military effort published by the War Office in 1922 will give to the uninitiated food for thought. British and Indian troops, of course, were also engaged in this campaign, and they, too, gave service in their best traditions; we do not forget them, either. At one stage of this campaign many thousands of horsemen were engaged, the greatest force of horsemen that modern warfare had known since the days of Darius, the Persian commander, and out of this vast assemblage Sir Philip Chetwode, Corps Commander, in his recorded reference, awarded the palm to the New Zealand Mounted Brigade for all-round efficiency, and further stated that their maintenance in the field was a credit to the New Zealand Government. Without being egotistical, I mention this fact. The late Lord Allenby, who was the second Commander r in-Chief ■ (he succeeded General Murray) had a very high opinion of the Australians and New Zealanders in his command, and stated that he regarded them as thp backbone of his army. In his farewell reference at Cairo early in 1919, hp stated that nothing would alter the high regard he had for, the colonial mounted men and their work in the CamDaign had earned the "gratitude of the Empire and the admiration of the world.'" In this sector. New Zealand was represented by a brigade only, and not as many people think, a division. There were several brigades of Australians.—Yours, etc.. AYUN KARA. rO THE EDITOE OF THE PRESS. Sir,—l should like to thank Miss M. G. Davies for her letter that appeared in "The Press." I wish I had the power to make everyone read that letter every day 1 for a month. Twenty years after that terrible massacre we are to-day preparing for a more terrible outburst for murder. There is one blessing; there will be as much danger of being blown to pieces at home as there.will be at the front; and if we have no more intelligence than to carry on the way we are doing, the sooner we are all wiped out the better. For thousands of years, in fact ever since the humas race made its appearance on this earth, we have had private enterprise and war. Private enterprise really means, me and mine —individual selfishness. Last Monday thousands of prayers were offered to God begging for peace. To my mind to pray for peace and at the same time go on preparing for war, is sheer hypocrisy. As long as we carry on our commercial life based on 'private enterprise, so Jong will we have war. Can anyone prove otherwise? Instead of praying so much, would it not be more' Christian-like to try to base our commercial life on a different basis.— Yours, etc.. PEACE AT ANY PRICE. April 29, 1938. ro tkc Ecrroa or the press. Sir, —We wish to write in appreciation of the Rev. L. B. Neale's Anzac address, in which he stressed the need

to create a mind for peace, and the need to develop a peace technique. One point is doubtful. "For men to sign pledges that they will not take part in any war is for them to say that the rivers will never flood." Did Mr Neale mean that men have no more control over their own actions than they have over the forces of nature? Tp sign a pledge is admittedly nothing except that it is an indication that we are disillusioned in regard to war and are convinced in our hearts that we can never rightly take part in it. We live in a democratic country and we owe it to our fellow men and our Government to make our position clear. If the Government were to enter a war arid we had not protested we would rightly be expected to give our support. ;The pledge is the least part of our miovement but it provides a common ground from which a group of people can set out to work positively and constructively for peace.—Yours, etc., CHRISTCHITRCH GROUP, PEACE PLEDGE UNION. April 29, 1938.

TO THE EDITOR OF Till PRESS. Sir, —Differing points of view make for interest, and many fine expressions Were brought forth by the Anzac Commemorations this year. But I was a whit disappointed by a somewhat extreme point in one letter, referring t(? the superiority of the law-breaking but repentant prodigal to the "smug" stay-at-home who holds a different credo. At this time, where outlook and conditions are changing so rapidly everywhere, surely greater tolerance could be excreted: strife' is so inflammable. There are many parts to play, requiring varied types to fill them. Let us not forget, too, that while some were engaged in duties overseas, some, again, were left at home, not engaged so much in'man's work of waging war as in what was., perhapg, in . the restricted circumstances, possibly, a more difficult process—God's .work of creation. Fortunately, there-is a place for all in this splendid .universe. — Yours, etc., PRAISE. April 29, 1938.