THE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 16, 18 July 1918, Page 8

THE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY

• 10 ihb bdiior. Sir/-'-One of the most striking developments of the war is the art of camouflage, and iv this Mr. Lewis excels. I suggested in my previous letter that the Patriotic Society should furnish information long due to the general public. Mr. Lewis asserts and reiterates that balancesheets have been supplied to the Internal Affairs Department. If such is the case why does not the society publish.the information? I presume it possesses copies of the accounts. Mr. Lewis states that the War Relief Association publishes ite transactions monthly. Why bring in that association? Jtfo one questions the splendid work of the association, and most of us know that had it not been for the funds supplied 1 per the Patriotic Society it could not have carried on this work. But will Mr. Lewis answer this question, and' satisfy many who, like myself, would be glad of the information: How much money did the Patriotic Society collect, and how much of that money reached the association? Now, about those binoculars and' periscopes ! Will Mr. Lewis say how many soldiers carried the periscopes to ' the trenches? As to Mr. Lewis's assertion that quite a number of people do not know of the existence of the Base Records Office, I would reply that quite a number do know of it, and practically every relative of a soldier is familiar with the office. Many thousands have a. kindly remembrance of the courtesy and consideration 6hown them at the enquiry counter. As to Mr. Lewis and ladderclimbing, I would answer "every man to his trade,"—l am, etc., ONE' WHO SUBSCRIBED. 15th July. . ["In the first place," said Mr. J. Lewis, secretary to the Wellington Patriotic Society, to whom the effect of the above letter wae referred, "I want to thank The Post for its courtesy in allowing me to see the correspondence, so as to give me the opportunity of replying to the letter at the moment of its publication. As to the letter itself, 'One Who Subscribed' has given me more publicity than I liad ever hoped to have received, and I am daily receiving numerous congratulations on the work which the Patriotic Society has done, and wliich would never have been known to them but for the publication of the correspondence. Now, as to your correspondent himself. Providing he will publish his name and prove to me that he is not a pro-German, I will donate £10 to any war fund that he may name. No further correspondence" on the subject will be answered by me unless the writer signs his name. If 'One Who Subscribed' ,will exercise a little .patience hewill have the opportunity of purchasing The Life _ Work of the Patriotic Society,' which is to be issued in booklet form, and sold at the price of Is per copy. The proceeds will be given to some war fund. Ju6t one more quotation for the benefit of your correspondent: 'Nothing gives, small minds' a better handle for hatred than superiority, especially when that superiority is never asserted 1, but only felt.' "J "