The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAT 9, 1917. THE SECOND DIVISION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3079, 9 May 1917, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAT 9, 1917. THE SECOND DIVISION

The approaching exhaustion of the First-Division of the Expeditionary Force Reserve gives practical importance, if not urgency, to a number of questions connected with the enrolment of married men for service abroad. Unless the war meantime comes to an end, married men will be called upon somewhere about the end of this year, and married men with' children before next year is _ far advanced. One way to face this position, and a way to which a good many people are inclined, would be to trust to the war coming to an end, or at all events to postpone consideration of the problems involved in the recruitment of married men on a big scale. It would be from every point of view very much better to take time by the forelock, and it is to be hoped that both tho Government and the members of the Second Division will give such consideration beforehand to these problems as will obviate the necessity of muddling through when the time for action arrives. ■ The first thing necessary is to secure general recognition of the possibility that the Dominion may find itself under the necessity not many months hence of sending away reinforcement drafts consisting wholly of married men. People who are leaning" upon, the hone that the war- will be over before tnp. year is out may as well recognise that they, are liable to be disappointed. As matters are going in the Western theatre.a comparatively early termination of tho war seems possible, but there is cortainly no definite assurance on tho point. It will be remembered that in the interview which attracted so much attention a- month or two ago, Sie Douglas Haig went no further in the way of definite prediction than to affirm that ths military defeat of the Germans would this year bo made manifest. Tho British Commandcr-in-Chief confidently anticipated a year I of victory, but he carefully avoided committing himself to an opinion that the year of victory would also sec the return of peace. Recent reports from America and elsewhere have shown that the Allies are making extensive preparations for a war extending into 101 S. and New Zealand will- certainly be wise to adopt a similarly prudent policy in reference to its contribution to the common effort. Tho Second Division , League, which is now established in tho principal centres of tho Dominion, is doing a public service in calling attention to the problems involved in tho recruitment of married men, and in order that it may bo fully representative it is desirable that its membership should be as widely as possible extended. Up to the present it seems to ha.ve attracted less general support than would be a-ccorded if the. members of the Second Divisicn_ realised how important it is in their own interests and those of their dependants that their case and claims should bo adequately presented. . Ono of the first questions demanding attention in connection with tho prospective enrolment of the Second Division relates to its classification. The scheme, of* classification recently approved by Cabinet contains features which certainly demand close scrutiny, and seern upon the wholo difficult to defend. The distinguishing feature of tho schemo is that, except in the case of men without children and those who have more than four children, it subordinates number of dependants to ago as a basis of classification. Class A consists of men of 20 to 46, without children; Class Bof men of 20 to M, with not moro than two children.; Class 0 of men from 1)5 to -46 who have not more than two children, and so on. Evidently the object aimed at is to draw first upon the men who are best fitted to stand tho strain of service in the field, but the means taken to this end are clumsy, and the scheme contains obvious anomalies. For instance, under its provisions, a man of 34, with two children, will bo called, up in an earlier class than a man of. 35 with ono child. In tice this would.mean an unfair distribution of sacrifice affecting thousands of men, for the difference in physical efficiency between a great many men just over 35 and just under 34 is probably very slight. The same unsatisfactory basis is proposed in respect of ;thc later- classes of the Second Division. It is a factor of material importance that the. scheme as it stands would tend to saddlfe tho State .with a considerably heavier pension burden than if the classification of the Second Division were based upon number of children. This latter .-plan would certainly represent the fairest possible distribution of sacrifice; it would reduce to a minimum tho ultimate financial burden imposed upon the State, and dej mands in regard to 'physical efficiency might be satisfied by the institution of a- medical examination as stringent as might bo necessary. It is to be expected that in the enrolment of the Second Division age, beyond a certain point, will operate in general as an increasing disqualification. But, other things being equal, it seems desirable, equally from the standpoint of the individual and that of the State, that a Second Division reservist should bo classed according to the number o. his children.

Other very important questions which call increasingly for attention as the clay of the enrolment of the Second Division draws nearer relate to provision for dependants while their ' soldier bread-winners are at tho front, and for dependants of soldiers deceased. Some of these, questions are complex and difficult, but in regard to one at least—that of separation allowances —difference of opinion seems hard"ly possible. The view is evidently widely held thattho present allowance—seven shillings a week to the wife of a private soldier and five shillings and threepence a week for each child—is inadequate and should be considerably augmented. Parliament will presumably be given an opportunity during the forthcoming session of meeting what is undoubtedly a just demand. It is obviously incumbent on the State to as far as possible enable married_ soldiers to maintain their homes intact and their dependants in the. conditions to which they are accustomed" while they aro serving their country in the field. This ideal cannot be fully attained, but a reasonable increase "in the separation allowance would contribute materially to its attainment, and would result in many homes being kept in. being which otherwise would have to bo broken

up. Pension payments also call for review on account of the new con'ditions likely to arise, but the subject calls at present rather for considered discussion than for the expression of dogmatic opinions. It is to be hoped, however, that in dealing with this matter the SecondDivision League will not confine itself to a demand for more liberal pension payments. It is the plain duty of the country to make adequate provision' for the dependants of soldiers who lay down their lives or are crippled in its defence, and in determining this provision the burden entailed should be as far as possible a secondary consideration. But the State will not discharge its duty to the widows and children of soldiers merely by a money payment. It is not less important that these dependants, and particularly the widows of soldiers, should be given every possible opportunity to. help themselves.- For instance, tie Discharged Soldiers' Information 'Department, which is in charge of the Hon. A. L. Hebdiian, and has done a great deal of useful work in finding civilian occupation for returne'd soldiers, might very well extend its activities to meet the case of soldiers' widows. It would be a poor tribute to the women of New Zealand who have suffered and will suffer bereavement in the war to 'imagine that they desire or would be content to become helpless beneficiaries of tho State. A great majority of those who are not fully occupied in caring for their children will prefar to seek useful and remunerative employment to supplement their pension grants, and the State might well render valuable assistance in this direction.