RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14529, 5 October 1917, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION.

AIMS AND OBJECTS

The executive of the llei-urncd Soldiers' Association has issued a statement of tie aims and objects of the organisation, which consists of affiliated associations of honourably discharged soldiers who have served overseas.

The origin, purpose, and proposals of the Association as drawn up by tho. executive are as follows: —

The founders of the Association were returned soldiers, who, having taken up arms against a foreign foe, had recognised the right of the State to require from them as citizens such service. Their fmrpose in founding the Association was to emphasise and establish the consequent responsibility of the State to provide for those who., suffered disability or loss in such a case.' The Association has been established since the problems involved in the repatriation of tho returned soldier first became manifest, and showed the absolute necessity for creating a representative body to preserve and give collective expression to the valuable exparience of returned soldiers already repatriated, and to chanipion the cause oH the soldier. The purpose of the Association is tho repatriation of the returned sol-! dier. Broadly speaking, the problems', involved in repatriation reduce to the following:— (a) The re-establishment of the returned soldier in suitable employment. {h) An efficient system of land settlement. (c) Assisting suitable returned soldiers to establish themselves in business. (d) Opportunity for the acquiring oi" homes by returned soldiers. (c) Adequate pension for war disablemenl or loss, both in the case of soldiers and their dependents, and dependents of those who have fallen. (f). Facility and encouragement fco learn new trades or professions in I order to overcome war disability. I The first step towards repatriation is: the development of a sense of civic responsibility in x: very returned. soldier. The Association claims to-liave made! the first and only efforts in this diree-i tion. (a) By establishing soldiers' clubs, throughout tie Dominion, thus preserving the esprit de corps of foreign service, and, by the experience' of thy returned soldiers already settled' down to civilian life, making "the way! easier for those coming after, (b) Byi promoting this discussion of repatria-j tion by the returned soldiers, and; bringing them to a proper realisation i not only of their rights as returned! soldiers, but their duty as citizens.

The Association affirms the following proposals and principles, and asks ,that the Government take- steps to give effect thereto. In arriving at the conclusions set out, the Association has considered matters from a due sense of national welfare and the best interests of returned soldiers.

The soldier or his dependent must in every case look to the State to recompense him for loss or disability caused through service. That under 3jo circumstances should the State avoid its duty by delegating its responsibilities to citizen organisations t e.g., patriotic societies.

' The Association should be given opportunity to express its opinion on all proposed legislation affecting returned right, as representing honourably-dis-charged soldiers, to official recognition as the voice of the returned soldier. The- Association impi-esses on tho Government the urgency of perfecting a scheme of repatriation which will as far as possible cover every discharged soldier, and points out the' value in this direction of collecting and recording the experience of returned soldiers in regaining their pre-war station. That a department be created which will concern itself solely with the question of repatriation. iSuoh department should have at its disposal expert experience and opinion in every branch of trade, profession, or business. The Association amdertakes to supply the Department with evidence showing how the various systems work out in practice from the individual standpoint. "

(1) Tho acceptance of a man for military service is conclusive evidence of physical fitness, and the Association is not in accordance with the doctrine of pre-war disability as enforced by tho Pensions Department. Further, it deplores the fact that any soldier appealing against the refusal of a pension is asked to prove that lie had no pre-war disability. (2) A soldier's pension is his by right of disability through service, and the fact that he is earning an increasing wage should not 6c used for the reduction of same.