RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 70, 16 December 1919, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS

AN IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION. (Published by Arrangement.) The following open letter is addressed to all returned soldiers by tho executive of the New Zealand Moderate League:— Wellington, \ December 10, 1919. Gentlemen,— In \'!o\v of tho attempts being made by the Prohibition Party to discount the clear expression of opinion that you gave against prohibition at tho April leferenduin, and tho statements made by them that tho soldiers' votes were cast against prohibition becauso of alleged misrepresentations made by this League in tho lotter which wo had the honour of addressing to those of you who wero overseas at the time, tho execu- . live of the League wishes firstly to record its opinion that the soldiers' vote was tho result of tho studied judgment of tho men themselves, and was uninfluenced by any partisan propaganda. The letter..sent by tho Moderate League I lo tho soldiers prior to the referendum was a plain statement of facts, and tho contents thereof still stand uncontroverted. Any returned soldier can check for himself the allegations mado by the Moderate Leaguo against the prohibitionists as follows:— (1) That tho Prohibitionists took advantage of the absence of tho large body of men on active service to attempt to secure a catch vote. Proof: Seo resolution of New Zealand Alliance in The Dominion of April 10, 1918, in' which an immediate poll was demanded and no mention whatever was made ebout tho soldiers' right to vote: (Note, also, that at tho same meeting tho Alliance passed a resolution urging the Governm?nt I to "stop, the sale of liquor at all ' ports of landing, and at all places where troop trains stop with returned soldiers.") Tho Moderate Leaguo immediately met nnd objected to any vote being taken „ while the soldiers were away—(See Wellington papers, April 11, 1918). It was after this \that tho Prohibition Part)', seeing the game was up, admitted "he right of the soldier to Voto on the refer-, endum. In its original demand for an immediate poll to take place during 1918 the Prohibition Party made no reference whatever to tho soldiers' vote'. If further proof is required of the' League's statement that the Prohibition- - ists wero pressing for a vote before tho soldiers came back, it is only necessary to turn to the report of the Rev. R. R. 'Gray's speech in the Wellington Town Hall, on August 9, 1918, when ho said: "Let us have this menace out of the road, and tho path cleared before the boys come home." Also speeches by Mr. L. M. Isitt, M.P;, in Auckland on July 29, 1918; and of Mrs. Don, in Dunediii, on Julv 31, 1918.

(2) That tlio Prohibitionists endeavoured to besmirch the good name of tho soldierß, and brand them before tho world as drunkards in. order to 6ecuro 6ome imnicdiato advantage for their propaganda. Proof: See report of meeting W.C.T.U., March 23, 1915, resolution demanding prohibition of alii sol.diors in uniform. Methodist Conferenco resolution, February 24-, 1915, asking for prohibition of all soldiers in Uniform. Similar resolution of Dunediai Presbytery, May 5, 1915. Prohibition deputation to Minister of Education, May 25, 1915. Tho following is a typical illustration, of the opinions expressed by tho Prohi« bitaonists. Extract from speech of Rev, Scorgio at Dunedin Presbytery (vide "Otago Daily Times," May 5, 1915):— Ir. should be made absolutely impossible for soldiers to obtain drink. Tho present position in AYelliugtoa and other places was a grave disgrace and a scandal to the community. Young men's names wero being placed on rolls of honour all over the country, and tho next thing they heard was that these men were Been drunk. The rolls of honour would soon hs rolls of dishonour, if that 6ort of thing went on. _ The . Government should make it impossible for men in camps to obtain liquor, and, concluded Mr. Scorgie, anyone found 'jiking it in should bo stripped and flogged.■• It 1 was because of such records as this in the public Press of New Zealand that the Moderate League felt it a duty to acquaint the absent soldiers, not only with tho altered law, but with tho manner in which the Prohibitionists had vilified them for propaganda purposes. Not satisfied with securing "dry" camps and troopships from their friend tho Minister of Defence, tho Prohibitionists even demanded that tho'hospital ships should be "dry," as witness resolutions in tho Press of June 11, 1915, and subsequent Ministerial statements. To add further to the mass of unwarranted abuse and slanderous accusations, Iroth, direct and implied, levelled against tho soldiers *by tho Prohibitionists, the VV.CT.U. Convention in Christchurcli (vido "Evening Post," March 23, 1915) urged the Minister of Defence "to tako immediate- steps to appoint women patrols to work in tho neighbourhood or tlio camps of expeditionary forces for safeguarding young people, and ( the prevention of disorderly conduct." Returned soldiers may for themseivM turn up the records in "Hansard" of tho epveches of Prohibition M.P-'s in Parliament when the early closing'question, was before the House. They will find there unfounded statements about the frightful conditions of drunkenness in which tho soldiers were taken back to camp each night from Lambton Station. Fortunately, a committee of members villi'moderate views made special investigations, and were able to publicly refn'ie in Parliament the slanders that were levelled against tho men. All Benfiiblo people realised, as you did yonrselvcs, that a few men got "over tho odds," but the object of the Prohibitionists was to brand the whole of tlio men in the hope of securing an advantage for lhe.ir propaganda. - During tho five years of war tho Moderate League has done its best to pnsc-rve the liberty of H'o subject, a«« at the same time endeavour to have tho liquor laws amended along sensible lines to brinv about a belter service, and remove all reproaches. The League holds that under State Purchase and Control groat improvements can be made vitnont trespassing in any way on personal libertr and free choice in tins matter. The vLeaguo has every confidence that, witii the larger experience gained by jho sohliers in their service overseas, tie issue at the forthcoming poll may bo fafc-lv trusted to their good judgment as before; but would, in conclusion, again point out that if Prohibition is ones carried the law provides that it shall bo fo- all time, and that no further voto will be taken on the liquor question m New Zealand. The League would aso point opt that to,vote against Prohibition electors must striko out two lines on the ballot paper. Yours faithfully, D. M. FINDLAY, President, R. A. ARMSTRONG, Dominion Secretary.