AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS' GRATUITY

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 272, 19 November 1919, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS' GRATUITY

MEN. DEMAND CASH INSTEAD OF BONDS.

SYDNEY, Nov. 5,

A position that is, ia some ways very amusing is developing as a result of the soldiers' demand for a war gratuity,New Zealand and Canada are held to be responsible for liavir.g''woke it up." The average Australian soldier, wlcm. had enjoyed! liberal pay and abundant food and clothes, and was in most <;ases collecting, a substantial sum in deferred pay, was offering no complaint. But the decision of New Zealand to pay a gratuity aroused the demand in Australia. The Government hesitated for some time, and finally announced that a gratuity wauld be paid, but in interest-bear-ing, non-negotiable bonds Those who saw what went on behind the scenes thought that the Government lad negotiated a dilemma very well, all Things considered. The elections are approaching, and this Government, if it goes buck to power, will go back on the votes of the returned soldiers. They represent the great turnover vote which for twenty years has swung Australian Governments from liberal to Labor, and from Labor to Liberal. The Government knew this, and knew that if it did not promise a war gratuity, the Labor Party would, arid so win the elections. On the other hand, the Government, search. as it might, could see no way of raising the *£25,CC'O,OOO required if the gratuity was to be epromptly paid. So the device of issuing bonds was adopted. The Labor Party has promptly decried the bond idea, and says that the soldiers are being very harshly treated, and should have cash, even if it has to be forcibly taken out of the pockets of the profiteer, whom they protected. . The more sheep-like soldiers have seized on this specious pleading, and now soldiers' meetings all over the country are demanding a cash gratuity, greatly to the embarrassment of Mr Hughes. The Labor leaders are busily working on the soldiers' demand for cash—but, &f course, give no indication of whore the cash will come from.

Mr Hughes is now pleading inth the soldiers. He declares the scheme cannot be financed in any other way except as suggested. The payment is to be Is 6d per day from embarkation to armistice, and the bondft can be used as cash for all purposes under the Repatriation Department, such as buying businesses, farms, houses, or /furniture. Australia's share of the German war indemnity, payable in 1921, and estimated at from £7,000,000 to £15,000,000, is to be earmarked for the redemption of the bonds. If the indemnity does not reach £10,000,000, the Government will make good the deficiency up to £10,000,000, and to redeem any balance after 1921 in three equal anl.ual instalments. Tha bonds will be cashed by the Treasury in all cases of special urgency. There is going to be some brisk bidding for the soldiera' votes,