RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3893, 23 April 1937, Page 3

RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT

-WHAT THE R.S.A. HAS DONE. A PROUD RECORD. The record of the achievements of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association in its efforts to ensure that adequate and reasonable treatment be extended and maintained to those whoi, when war ravaged the world, in so many ways, made sacrifices—even life itself—in order that peace and goodwill should pervail, is a meritorious one. It is thought that the quotation of some of the views of one of the most learned men in New Zealand will indicate the esteem in which the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association was held in 1918, just two years after its formation, and also his feelings as to the future insofar as the ex-servicemen were concerned. The late M.r Justice. 0. T. Alpers, in the course of an article regarding the Association, wrote: — HOW WILL SOLDIERS FARE ? “The first process was difficult enough; the break with civilian life, the rupture of domestic ties; the change from the free, untrammelled career of commerce or industry to the

cramping routine cf camps; to sink one’s independence and individuality, and become a regimental number merely; this, surely, is no easy matter, even though in front of it the alluring goal—beyond it, the Great Adventure!

“But the second process—‘sed revocare gradus’—to step back into- the old life, to resume your modest place in a work-a-day world; to fight against the dull damnation of reaction, which must come when the first glow of the ‘welcome home’ has faded; this is the task that will call for bright courage and stolid determination.

“What will be the attitude the ultimate attitude'—of the Community to the Soldier in his struggle ‘ to get back’? How will the people of the Dominion apply themselves to the great problem of repatriation—beset, as it is, with so many difficulties? I am not thinking only of the handclappings and flag-wavings that will greet him on his landing—that, one may be sure, will not be lacking in warmth. But I mean AFTER—when peace has come again, when ‘market reports’ and ‘share quotations’ once more claim their proper place from which ‘communiques’ and ‘casualty lists’ have for a time partially dislodged them, when the profiteer- again goes profiteering, relieved of the irksome restraints of the War Regulations.

“ Will complacent citizens then say, ‘These men have done their duty by us,’ and leave it at that? Or will

they add, ‘Let us now begin to, do ours by them?’ “History does not encourage optimism in the matter. In all countries and all ages the returned soldier has gone short olf his deserts. But the attitude of the community will depend miuch on the attitude of the soldier.

“The N.Z.R.S.A. has done much admirable work. The Association has a broad constitution and has so far adopted an enlightened policy. But the public knows- nothing of its constitution, and less of its policy. “If—and only if—the N.Z.R.S.A. attains solidarity among returned soldiers will the problems of the future be adequately solved. Its constitution provides for the membership of officers as well as men. In proportion as officers—good officers—are incorporated and encouraged to play a vigorous part, will the R.S.A. present a solid front. The men who leu well in battle will lead well in coun-

“The public, if left to, itself, will assuredly become supine. The returned soldiers, speaking as one voice through their Assoeiation, must ask for what, they want, must occasionally. perhaps, demand it; but what they ask must be reasonable, and what they demand must be just. And to ensure success unity is the first essential.

“These men have fought for an Empire; they have not returned home to fight for a party. They aspire to influence, and even to lead, public opinion on in the direction of certain ideals they set store by; but they have no intention cf becoming the cat’s-paw of politicians. But the N.Z.R.S.A. will not forget that some day, not far distant, it will control a hundred thousand votes at least. When that day comes, if it remain true to its ideals and united within itself, it will not be cheated of its rights by leather-lunged charlatans—political or other. “The future is not free from anxiety for returned men. For the moment the men fin the trenches have the first claim on the thoughts—and pockets —of the public. But there lies an urgent duty on every man so far returned to help prepare a welcome for his mates when they, too, come back, more war-worn, perhaps, than he—a duty to rouse public opinion, to stimulate public spirit, to direct public endeavour. And 1 can conceive no work in the future that calls more insistently for the enthusiastic and co-operative effort of the best spirits in the country than this great work off repatriation. “The historian of the future will probably say that we ‘muddled through’ this war; he will certainly say that it found us blindly ignorant and criminally unprepared; he may possibly add that in the course of it we let ourselvesl be fooled by profiteers. These strictures and worse let him .pass on us if he will, but let him not have cause to say that at long last we meanly failed in gratitude to the soldiers and sailors .who alone had saved our nation from ruin.” REFLECTION. In the light of the clear expression quoted above let us broadly reflect on the happenings prior to and since 1918, the year which brought forward the writing of Mr Justice Alpers. The war was still raging in April, 1118, and the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association had been in existence for two years. The pick cf New Zealand’s manhood was being trained for war, and the steady stream of war-maimed flowed back home bearing injuries bravely and hoping for the best. Thanks to the vision displayed by the returned soldiers who, in 1916, were able to realise not only the terrific struggle the war would be, but also that those emerging from that

struggle would need assistance, recognised that the essential plank in the platform of their construction must be unity, and in recognition of this fact they established, what still is. 21 yeaps afterwards, the voice of ex-servicemen in this Dominion—the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association.

The N.Z.R.S.A. has had its troublous times, both internal and external, but through it all it has been able to present a united front. In all its representations e-n behalf of the ex-ser-vicemen it has maintained a just and reasonable attitude, and now, in 1937, over 21 years after its formation, its prestige remains high, its views are appreciated.

The achievements of the N.Z.R.S.A. outlined in this issue are noteworthy, but, as will be seen, there are still more important matters to, solve before those who are interested in the pi oblems can say “Finis.”