WAR PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2941, 29 November 1916, Page 4

WAR PROBLEMS

Sir, —Tho result of the referendum in Australia means that unless voluntary enlistment provides all the men required for reinforcing _ those already at tho front tho Australian force must in' course of timo dwindle and disappear as a separate fighting unit. Does tho Australian public realise that such a result is inevitable? If it does not, the best way to bring the consequences homo to Australia would! bo for • Mr. Hughes to take his courage in his hands and ask tho Imperial General Staff to mako such arrangements as will enable all Australian units to quit tho firing line and return to Australia as early as convenient. Serious ills sometimes call for heroic (?) remedies, and tho course suggested only anticipates and hastens tho inevitable result of the. referendum. A suggestion follows, for what it is worth, which might go some way towards stopping the Germans from continuing their wholesale deportations from Belgium and] Poland. The suggestions is that Germany should be informed that a condition of peace will be that one 'aible-bodifcd (iermaii . from amongst tho prisoners of war now held by tho Allies; will be retained by the Allies for every man, woman, or child! deported to Germany from the territories now forcibly occupied by her, and put to work under Allied control in reconstructing Belgium, Poland, Serbia, etc.; the wages and keep of such retained men to bo a chargo on Germany; tho length of timo they aro retained after tho war to he proportionate to tho longest timo any deported person is held in Germany. While there are, doubtless, some difficulties, practicable and otherwise, in tho way of such a course, it has two outstanding advantages, viz., it would provido plenty of cheap labour for reconstruction of occupied territories, and would deprive Gormany of many ablebodied men whoso sei vices woukl otherwise bo of great valu3 to her in .tho much-threatened trado war which is to folio (V peace. In tho South African war. tho enemy's train-wrecking propensities wore successfully checked by the method of putting a truck load- of prisoners of war in front of the locomotive of overy train in threatened districts. Would the Germans abandon their in r . discriminate submarine murders if German prisoners of war woro carried on overy British or Allied vessel? They would, on board a' steamer, bo easier to guard and cost no moro to keep — 1 am ' ° tC " TOM THE PIPER. Christchurch, November 23, 1916. EXPLOITATION. OF THEI CHILDREN Sir,—l have .lately, received particulars of a new-scheme for'helping tho Belgians, and I should like to draw attention' to tho unfairness of the method of collection. Tho idea is that children should ask their parents to refrain from buying tho usual Christmas gifts, but to invest tho money in penny shares in a fanciful "Santa Glaus Company" for Belgian relief. The share coupons can be arranged in groups of twenty to form "puzzle pictures." . Now, Mr. Editor, I must' protest against this continual exploitation of the children. They aro asked to make sacrifices all the time. I quote a few instances. A very large numotiT-'or schools havo- abandoned prize-giving, devoting the usual funds to patriotio purposes or Belgian relief. Children are asked to forego their usual school picnics for the same, purnose. They sacrificed their usual GuyFawke's celebrations. They havo given, and. are still giving, the contents of their money-boxes by hundreds, and - now, they are asked'to sacrifico their Christ- ■ mas stockings. All tin's is doubtless very commendable, but the point I wish to emphasise is the inequality of sacrifice. Do their elders set them an example in sacrifice? Do they stay away from the theatre, the picture show, the races, tho golf links, and devote the saving to war purposes? Not they! They must bo tempted with art unions and what not. Their giving is most: ly in the nature of an investment. Now to revert to this "Santa Claus Company" nrospectus.. Various "first subscribers" are credited with sharps representing from onp shilling to £100. But lot us look a lifctk closer. The "puzzle pictures" turn out to bo. pictorial advertisements of goods sold by these "subscribers," who are thus getting cheap advertisement throughout the length and, breadth of New Zealand under tho g'uiso of charitv. Tho children's sympathy for the Belgians is to bo worked for all it is worth to help sell tho "first subscribers' " goods. There can be no question about tho bitter need of help for Belgium, but I submit this scheme is not the right way to go to work. I encloso the nrospectus, coupons, etc., for your information. Personally, I refuse to support the scheme. —I am, etc., F.C.B. Carterton, November 23, 1916. THE FRENCH VINTAGE Sir, —In your cablegrams this morning there appears a message concerning the French vintage. It is stated that tho wine crop is forty millions of hectolitres of wine, which is stated to bo equal to ninety thousand gallons. It should' bo equal to eight hundred and eighty million gallons, because thero aro twenty-two gallons to each hectolitre. Compared with preceding years, it is a fair crop,, but not so largo as that of 1915. It is also stated that the quantity availablo for tho season 1916-17 is nearly fivo and one-third million hectolitres, which is equal to one hundred and seventeen million gallons. There'is obviously tbeword "export" omitted after "availablo for." Tho reason for this is explained in a previous cablegram, published when the estimates of tho crop were given, which stated that tho smallness of tho export was because tho military had.commandeered the wiucs of France for tho use nf soldiers— I am. etc.. VIG-ERNON. November 17, 1916. MEDICALLY UNFIT Sir, —With respect to thoso members of the First Division drawn in tho first ballot, and who aro apparently medically unfit, I would be obliged if you would kindly state iii your columns whctlier it would bo desirable for tho Roscrvist to procure from his medical adviser a certificate, for production to tho Medical Board, stating tho particular ailment ho is under treatment for.

Thanking you in anticipation.—l am, : RESERVIST. [Thoi'o must bo a medical examination by the medical officer appointed by tlio Defence Department. The production of the certificate of a private practitioner would not meet the requirements'of the Military Service Act.]