SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 138, 11 June 1918, Page 3

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE

THE MITCHELL INCIDENT

EXECUTIVE ASKS MR. MITCHELL

TO RESIGN,

As a sequel to the decision of Mr. A. S. Mitchell to remain on the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board as a private citizen and as a reservist of the Second Division, instead of as the official representative of the Second Division League, the National Executive of the League has decided to " ask for his immediate resignation as a member of the league." The reasons for this action are given in the following statement, supplied by the league's honorary secretary, Mr. C. H. Chapman:—

A special meeting of the National Executive of the Second Division League was held last evening to consider the position arising out of the league's withdrawal of its representative from the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board. There was a full attendance of members. After fully discussing the position, it was decided to make the. following official statement: —

1. That the minute of the league covering Mr. A. S. Mitchell's nomination as the league's representative on the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board reads as follows:

"That, in response to the invitation from the Minister of Defence that the league appoint a representative to the vacancy on the board, we nominate Mr. A. S. Mitchell to carry out the league's policy as same may be determined from time to time."

2. That Mr. Mitchell was present at the meeting and agreed to the resolution ; the possibility of the necessity for determined action in the event of failure to secure a liberalisation of tho board's policy was fully discussed, and Mr. Mitchell's personal position in the event of such action was made perfectly clear to him and to all members of the executive during.the discussion.

3. That at an executive meeting held on 30th May, _ 1918, Mr. Mitchell stated that he was in full accord with tho league's request for the £2 2s minimum clear income for tho "wife only" and was doing his best to secure the adoption of this policy on the board. From the date of the appointment of Mr. Mitchell as the league's representative on the board there has been no change whatever in the policy or proposals of the league regarding financial assistance.

4. That the letter from the Minister of Defence to the league on the subject of the appointment reads as follows:—

"22nd March, 1918. "I have received your letter of the 20th instant, submitting for my consideration the name of Mr. A. S. Mitchell, a member of your executive, for appontment to the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board as a representative- of the Second Division League, and in reply have pleasure in advising you that His Excellency the GovernorGeneral has been recommended to appoint Mr. Mitchell as a member of the board." 5. That tho point upon which. th* league-decided to withdraw from representation on the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board was the board's policy as laid down by the Minister in reply to the league, particularly regarding the net minimum income for the wives of soldiers and the attempt made to offically justify the policy whereby the wives of soldiers who are mothers are deprived of the full benefit of the children's separation allowances.

6. That Mr. A. S. Mitchell's resignation as a member of the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board was sent to tho Minister of Defence without any qualification or personal Teseivation whatever, and in accordance with the approved decision of tho league executive of which ho wa& a member.

7. That within a few hours of the receipt of the resignation the Minister of Defence had sent for Mr. Mitchell and asked him to agree'to renomination to tho board.

8. That the Minister's haste to secure the reappointment of Mr. Mitchell, in view of the fact that he is a Class B reservist due to go up for medical examination in the course of a few days, and in consequence that any reappointment would possibly only be effective' for a temporary period, is inexplicable.

9. That as no intimation of his action was sent by Mr. Mitchell to the league, three members of the executive have interviewed him since the announcement in the public press of his agreement to rcappointrnenl b\ the Minister, h&ve heard from him his statement of the case, have placed before him the manner in which his action would be viewed, and havo suggested to Rim the course of action which from the league's point of view they consider he was in duty bound to take.

10. Therefore La view of the foregoing and the fact that Mr. Mitchell has finally decided to sacrifice hi& allegiance to the league by accepting renomination to the board the National Executive regrets that it is compelled to ask for Ms immediate resignation as a member of the league.