"IN PRAISE OF MERCY"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25111, 30 December 1942, Page 4

"IN PRAISE OF MERCY"

Sir,—Your correspondent, Mr John A. Brailsford, informs us that there are 700, possibly 800, young men in prison camps in this country because they refuse to take part in war. If these young men refused to fight for their country in Germany, Italy, Japan, and other enemy countries, they would be immediately taken out to the firing squad and shot—a procedure of which I myself am entirely in favour, for I definitely maintain that any man who has not the guts to go and fight for his country should not be allowed to live in it. I have lost a son in this war, but it is some consolation to know that he died fighting for his country, and was not shot for cowardice, as defaulters are in enemy countries. Your correspondent seems to think that it is quite in order to allow leave to these men in defaulters' camps to visit sick relatives. Nonsense. Our brave lads and men who have been three years overseas fighting for these people cannot get home on leave to visit sick relatives. Why on earth therefore, should defaulters be allowed such a privilege? If this privilege is granted to these men, then why not allow prisoners in Mount Eden and others leave to visit sick relatives? Goodness only knows where and how this country will actually end up; what with defaulters, appeal boards, tennis on Sunday for v the poor students, pictures on Christmas Day and Sunday nights—all these laws for one class, while the other class volunteers or is conscripted for overseas fighting. No, Mr Brailsford's merciful hint that a defaulter should be allowed to visit the sick wife for whom he refused to fight cuts no ice with me. Neither do I think that the great majority of our people, including members of the services and R.S.A., would agree to such privileges for defaulters, as Mr Brailsford seems to suggest.—l am, etc., Loyal. Dunedin, December 29.