FORGETTING AND NEGLECTING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3144, 20 November 1922, Page 7

FORGETTING AND NEGLECTING.

From the report of the Imperial Select Committee it would 1 appear that those in the Mother Country who should afford sympathy and succour to the men disabled in the war are forgetting the services rendered by these men and' neglecting to do their duty. “It is obvious,” says the report, “that the sentiment in favor of pr<eCerential treatment and. generally, sympathy towards the disabled ex-Steryice man te on the decline. The reduction in the number of firms on the King’s Roll is evidence of this; witnesses have corroborated the fact, and it is the natural result of memory faded' by the lapse of four years since the conclusion of the Armistice. Such an attitude of mind, natural to some extent though it may be. should not, however, in the opinion of the committee, be permitted to influence the action of the country towards those who have been disabled'in the service of their country. 'lf, therefore. sentiment and sympathy cannot be revived by any improved voluntary system within a reasonable time,-there would appear to be no other course open than to apply compulsion.” The Committee’s recommendations are iu favor of a further effort to obtain employment for these men on a voluntary basis by partially recasting tire existing voluntary system. They suggest that the principle to be adopted should be that of decentralisation and devolution of duties and respousihil‘ties to local bodies, with local knowledge and local enthusiasm, whose services in gopoial should be honorary. Voluntary committees, with certain limited statutory powers, should be set up in each county and county borough, and their duties should be to provide employment for disabled men under four 'headings Special provision for severely disabled ex-Service men ; administration of the King’s Roll; provision of improvership for trainees; organisation of a system of after-care suitable to local conditions. The committees should have a legal status and he entrusted with certain financial powers within the limits of well-defined regulations, but with discretion within those limits. It is also suggested that a central statutory body, a King’s Roll National Council, should he set up to control generally, supervise and co-ordinate the activities of the county and county borough committees. “It should he composed of ‘representatives of both Houses of Parliament, of all Government departments concerned, of employers, trades unions and ox-service men’s organisations. This body should work under the aegis of and derive its power from the Ministry of Labor, which would h.’ responsible for the provisions and regulations of public funds.” Tumble to determine the spirit in which they would be put into operation, the committee add that their recommendations embody suggestions as to the only conditions under which, in their opinion, the voluntary system can succeed. So urgent is the problem that the committee recommend that their proposals should be parried into effect forthwith, and the necessary legislation passed during the autumn session. “But should the figures show that the problem has not by May 1, 1923. been successfully dealt with on the linos proposed, recourse should then be had to a form of compulsion modified In character arid scope as circumstances may dictate.”