OUR BOYS AT THE FRONT AND REAR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144668, 30 April 1915, Page 7

OUR BOYS AT THE FRONT AND REAR.

10 THE EDITOR.

Sir,—Every patriotic Britisher must have felt a uinll of pride when reading ol the thanks of tile Imperial Government for the services rendered to tile Empire by our boys at the trout. We do not as yet know the details of their services or at tv hat cost they were ren- ' dered, but we do know that they have nobly done the duty they went to do and shown to the world 'that they are no whit behind the other colonies in love for the Empire or devotion to its service. In a tew days we shall probably hear more, and know the names of those who have laid down their lives at their couiiti'.vV call. To the relations and friends of those our sympathy will go out, and though that cannot assuage the natural grief they will feel, yet their sad hearts may swell with pride when they think of the cause in which they have fallen. "Ear how can man die better than facing fearful otTds, for the ashes of his Eatltcrs and the Altars of his Gods?’’ Their names will bo inscribed on the roll of honour and be held in lasting remembrance. With what pride, too, should the parents road the names of those other young follows who appeared Wore the Magistrate yesterday tor not attending their drills ns Territorials, and what an example they set. Mr. .Massey, in ids speech in Wellington yesterday, expressed his conviction that if another 20.0t0 men were wanted they would be forthcoming; but not if he relies on this type. The report says the Magistrate made some plain remarks; it is a great pity lie could not do more and intlirt heavier These young fellows. [.Vnosl of whom are of an .age when they j might be at- the front, may perhaps he I excused for not being there; perhaps ithc.v. or some of them, are physically ■ unlit, or there may be other and sufficient reasons, but no excuse should be accepted for not attending the drills. A lien tile country is engaged in a life and death struggle with an unscrupulous toe. as it is at present, such slackness and laziness is absolutely nnforgiveabio. There should be a roll of dishonour started as well as one of hon- • our. and it might well be headed by I the names of those appearing in your | paper. Have these young follows ever | thought what would happen to them ami their mothers and sisters in the event (by no means improbable at one lime and nut impossible l nowi of a German contingent landing on mir shores. Lot what has happened in France and Belgium inform them. 1 extract the following trnm scores nay. hundreds, of cases in tile official account issued by the French Government "In the village of (lorbeck-Loo on Wednesday, August 19, a woman, aged 22 (whoso husband was with the army), and some of her relations were surprised by a baud of German soldiers. The persons who were with her were locked up in an empty lions'? while she was dragged into another cottage and raped by five soldiers successively. In flic same place, on August 20, German soldiers fetched from their bouse a young girl about 1(1 years and her parents. They conducted them to a small deserted house, and while some held hack the parents others forced the house, and finding.the cellar open forced the girl to drink. They then: brought her on to the lawn in front of the lioii.se and raped her successively. Finally they stabbed her in the breast with their A lieu abandoned after those abominable deeds in vin; of tlie gravity of her condition she received extreme unction, and was afterwards taken to tlie hospital, though her 'ife was despaired of." 1 hope. Sir. that yon, with more power of language than I have, will lash these defaulters into some sense of shame for their conduct, and if they are again brought before the authorities I hope a penalty that they will really feel wilt be imposed on them, not a paltry amount like 10s and costs.—l am, etc.,