A SOLDIER'S SPEECH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16994, 3 May 1917, Page 2

A SOLDIER'S SPEECH.

NO TIME FOR SHIRKERS

ANZACS WILLING TO FACE THE

BULLETS AGAIN,

A high tribute was paid to General Birdwood at tho Anzac dinner at Wellington on Saturday by Sipper J. T. Fox. "One name which ehines above all other names at Anzac," he said, "is that of General Birdwood. The soul of Anzac,' as ho was called, he was an inspiration t.o the troops which came from Australia and New Zealand." Should their country need it (he added), lie ventured to predict that every man who had faced the rocky shores of Anzac would again respond to the call If the First Division of the Reservists was exhausted and the Second Division called up, they, as returned soldiers, would step into the hreach.—(Loud applause.) As manager of the Returned Soldiqrs' Club he know tho boys and they know him. and ho wanted to say to the shirkers in the dominion that at any rate tho men who had faced the bullets were willing to face them again.—(Loud applause.) That was not the time to talk about strikes and Their simple duty was to'defend that which was most worth defending—the British freedom, justice, and fair -play that made lifo worth living. "ANZACS, THE FOUNDATIONSTONE." The. returned soldiers (continued Mr Fox) were much misunderstood, and he would like to remove a false impression that had been thrust upon them by many people. The soldiers returned from Gallipoli were men of force and energy, men who would be useful to their country and a credit to their country.—(Applause.) If they were good enough to' fight, they were good enough to know what was good for them; but the problems of the returned soldiers would bo so immense and so intricate that it was time for the Government to take tho returned soldiers' question in hand. They were asking for a square deal, but t.hoy wore not asking for those of them who were able to earn a living, but for others. Let them provide for those who had been disabled ; let them provide amply for those who had been robbed of their dear ones — (Applause.) Just as they had played their part to defend themselves from German oppression, let them defend themselves against injustice: and if tho right lead was given he believed that there was no man or woman in tho country but would respond to their fullest capacity.—(Applause.) To his mind the Anzacs would be the foundation stono of tho dominion. Hitherto they had no traditions and ideals, no national aspirations, and who could tell that in a generation or two there would not 6pring up under the Southern Cross nations mightier than those in the centre of Europe? While Anzac and the Anzac tradition were with them, they remembered that they had done nothincr extraordinary, nothing but their duty. They had simpiy obeyed their country's call.—(Loud applause.)