NEED FOR ACTION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2641, 11 December 1915, Page 6

NEED FOR ACTION

$ WAR QUESTIONS DISCUSSED OUR READERS' OPINIONS < (To the Editor.) > . THE SHIRKERS. i ■ Sir,—-Many thanks for your strong ■ leader in this morning's paper. Such i strenfrth and down-rightness are a per- •' feot Godsend amidst the sea of evasion ; and mush through which one has to wade -to follow our political guides! I except Dr. M'Nab; lie seems to realiso that the seriouness of tho .position calls for drastic measures. I am grateful for the chance in your columns to publicly commend tho Sydenham Cricket Club, and to even more strongly commend and endorse tho resolution of the Auckland Carpenter's' l and Joiners' Union: "Compulsory service the only fair way." One shirker standing alone would be an object of contumely but 34,(300? Are .we to -accept them' as they stand because their numbers are great? ; G<xl help Britain when in a. little country of a million inhabitants ono gets 34,000 males unashamed' to state that-: they will not serve her I And God help the race when these remain the sole progenitors. Do tneso_ men realise that our national honour is at 'stake? Do - they give a. thought to the lads who have been sent out to fight they—men in age, if not in courage—would not go? And the powers that be calmly accept tlipir statement "Unwilling to serve," and continue cheerfully to do nothing! Sir, surely, the hour is here. Oh, that tho need would raise us up.a man! —I am, 0t0.,' ■ ' December 9. 5. ARE WE IN EARNEST? Sir—l do not possess the pen of a ready writer, so I hope some one more able will tako this up. In reading my papers, I have been much struck with ,tiio inconsistency of many things. (I eiicloso a few random cuttings). Business as usual, racing as usual, etc., 2000 men wanted every sis weeks. To me these don't fit in. Increased taxation, tax the hard-working, thrifty ones, who look forward to their one yearly holiday with their families, 1 , wliile reduced fares aro given to races. Let the man who will have pleasure at any cost get it cheap. If a - man can afford Tacing <\° can afford to pay for it. But no, that would never do, the general public must pay every time; increased railway fares, _ increased freight, adding to tho a ready heavy cost of living, while the pleasure-seekers are catered for from ono snu of Zealand "to t-ho other every week, Who can explain?—l am. etc'. PUZZLED. Pahiatua, December 8. [The outtings 1 enclosed by our correspondent relate to racing fixtures' excursion fares, the need for men, etc.] OVERSEA SHIRKERS, Sir >—I hear on good" authority that f 1 young moii have .tip's week left England for Wellington by tho steamship Remuera, in order to 'escape enlistment. As a loyal British subjeot, who has lived near Wellington for many .years, I think it right to inform you and your readers of this, so that tho shirkers may be. known : for what they aro when thoy land in New Zealand.— I am, etc., A BRITON. London, October 23. HOW TO SEND CIGARETTES TO OUR TROOPS. Sir,—l would be obliged if you would give publicity to the fact that it is useless _to pack cigarettes in anything other than airtight packages. I have distributed hundreds of gift-socks to our wounded men, in which cigarettes had been placed, and in every oaso the cigarettes had turned mouldy. The money thus wasted could easily havo been applied to a useful purposo.—l am, etc., GUY THORNTON. Zeitoun, Egypt, October 28. AN UNJUST ASPERSION. Sir,—l have been waiting with impatience for your denunciation of tho correspondent "Glen . Oroua." It has at last come, but I assure you that you deal, too leniently with tho fellow. That 110 wrote >in bitterness is perhaps due to his nature," and for this he is not entirely to blame, but because he wrote ill absolute ignorance of his subject, I certainly hold him culpable. I refute his cliargos. I did not "wait at the door to grab the vacant "chair." Teachers aro under the strict surveillance. of inspectors, and aro. promoted on merit; the fellow but cast reflections 'upon the methods used to promote teachers. I am not "unencumbered." My ; reply ;to "Shirker" and "Moral Lesson by Example" is to throw his nom-de-plume in his face. That I have ' to battle with'this subject (the war) on the floor of the schoolroom" is'not due 'to my initiative (though, mind, I love the subject), : but is necessitated by the questions set at the proficiency examinations. Will you. kindly give this letter room in your paper?—l am, eto.. H. R. HARRE. , The School, Glen Oroua. ...... ' Decembor 8. _ . I The letter to which our-correspondent takes' exception named no one in- particular. Wo have already stated, on the authority of the Wanganui Education Board, that no reflection can rest on Mr. Harre on account of. his acceptance of tho position he holds.] SUCKLING BABES. Sir,—Tho population of the British Empire comprises so many millions— mostly_ fools. This, it seems to the ■ man - in the street, now includes the Press. . This public agency ladles out columns of German peace pap day after day, till the', very soul of tho intelligent . pat/riot groans at our simpleton leader- . ship. The man who talks of peace at the' present juncture is a traitor, and should be shot. _ Yet,tho most powerful' moulder of national thought (preoursmg action) is flooding the Empire with astute German pap. "Amsterdam reports," "Copenhagen reports," "Athens reports,' '"Basle reports, "'Vorwarts' says," "Von Tirpitz" states," "A German wireless report states,"- ''Tho Ford Peace mission this and that'," "Food Riots in Berlin," "Serious Position in Vienna," all cleverly concocted to weaken the spirit of tho Allies. There is growing anger in tho minds of tho people of Wellington and elsewhere over tlie culpability of tho Press in this traitorous subornation of tho British publicity system. Tlie true attitude of mind of all patriots is fitly expressed by the lines conveying Regulus' message to the Roman Senate:— Thev sue for peace, I bid you spurn The gilded bait they bear, I bid you still, with aspect stern, ..War, ceaseless war, declare. Fools as they were, could not mine eye Through their dissembled calmness spy The struggles of despair? Why can't they attend strictly to the business of war?—l am, etc., AJAX. WILL' THE NEWSPAPERS ASSIST? Sir, —Your leading articlo in this morning's issuo on .the subject of "Trade Relations After the War" is timely and appropriate, but I failed to see that one very important feature of such a campaign had received the attention it deserves. To ensure success it wouJd bo esscn- i iial that all advertising wedia

agree to refuse the advertising 'of any German flnn, and decline advertisements of any Gorman goods. We (the public) fjuito realiso that tliis would involve sacrifices, but sacrifices are just what is demanded ( of patriotic traders, who would certainly lose many sales unless they undertook to handle well-ad-vertised German goods. These could easily bo supplied on the mail-order plan, if no "unscrupulous competitors" could bo found willing to do the dirty work; and there is always a percentage of the people who cannot resist buying to advantage. Secure the adherence of all advertising media to your proposition, and the campaign is assured of success. Neglect it, and no' other plan that can be advanced will result in anything but failure, partial or complete.—l am) etc., , _ EVAN A. .TAMES. Wellington,, December 10.