THE SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 19396, 10 November 1924, Page 8

THE SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL.

To the Editor. Sir, —It is with much interest that I have read the articles which have appeared in your paper about the Soldiers’ Memorial, and I have been induced to put my pen to paper by the strong feeling that prevails in this district because of the decision arrived at by the Committee. I think, sir, one of the first duties of the Committee is to keep faith with the subscribers and as has been stated in previous letters the promise was made over and over again, that the names of the fallen would be incised upon the Memorial. These promises should be carried out, especially seeing there is sufficient money in hand for this purpose. Regarding the difficulties I am surprised to hear you speak as you do, sir, all through the correspondence, e.g., you speak of “high ideals,” and in reply to “Justice” you fail to show wherein your ideals are any higher than his—l might say, ours—indeed you credit him with an admission that your ideals are high whereas all he does is to quote your words. Again, you say to “Country Subscriber,” “In our opinion a complete list for Southland is an impossibility.” Are you prepared to say, sir, that the articles appearing under the name of the editor are not the product of some member of the Memorial Committee? The thing is all nonsense, and in justification of the remark let me say that with the exception of but a few weeks I was Chairman and secretary for our local Soldier’s Memorial from beginning to end, and know from personal experience the work involved and its difficulties. I believe with “Justice,” sir, that your plea for omitting names is only put forward “in defence of the Committee of ten with their secretary.” It is a Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial. You say. Define the term. Ask any ten unsuspecting, intelligent men, independently, and see if you will get included in any answer the case of a man who returns home and dies after the war. Is there a man who saw active service whose life has not been shortened thereby? I question. Then, logically, all soldiers are fallen soldiers, and even then the duty of the Committee regarding names is clear. If your contention holds goods, sir, that “the names that would be incised upon the monument are already to be seen upon various monuments and rolls of honour throughout the province,” why was the effort ever made to. provide a provincial memorial? What sense is there in erecting a tomb stone without inscribing on it the name of the one who sleeps beneath ? or to put a notice in the paper without saying who it is that is kept in memory? Is it not equally foolish to erect a memorial to fallen soldiers and not say who they be? Hoping many others will contribute upon this subject that the whole province will protest against this attempt to thwart its desires, I am, etc., F. J. TYLEE. The Manse, Dipton. [We refer to this letter in our editorial columns.—Ed. S.T.]