A Fair Deal for Diggers.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20542, 18 February 1935, Page 6

A Fair Deal for Diggers.

Dear Sir, —My memory' dtiring this past week has gone back to 1914-1918, and I recalled all the patriotic songs, also the wonderful promises made to the boy's who went away' to fight. Then I thought how empty' some of the promises made have been. We noticed in the newspapers recently' about the trouble at Sandilands, and, to crown all. the executive of this branch of the R.S.A. endorsed the action threatened that all men classed B2 on the Sandilands job should be discharged. That is tough on a man who gave the best thing in life, his health, for his country. In the army' during the war years, if a man was classed B£. he was given light duty'. We used to think the doctors were hard in those days, but a genuine case always received genuine treatment. Nowadays a man is told that he is loafing and he must put speed on. If people would only' use a little common sense and a*k themselves how can a man be still healthv after standing in trenches knee-deep in mud and slime for twenty days at a stretch, doing four hours outpost duty' or sentry, and four hours off duty lying in wet dugouts infested by rats and lice, then going through gas attacks, and getting poor food and under shellfire all the time. Only those who have been through it know what the boys suffer to-day’. They don’t moan; they’ know they did. and did well, what was asked of them. But to be insulted in such a manner as they have been, well, it is pretty tough. And the vote of censure carried from the unemployed at their meeting in Latimer Square on the conduct of the R.S.A. executive was richly’ deserved. I am not a Digger: I served with the Imperial Forces. The Digger gave what was asked of him. Now give him what he asks for. a fair spin. Let the R.S.A. executive study these things over before it rushes to the newspapers or endorses any action of anv local body.— I am, etc., ' W. RICALTON. 55, Stewart Street, Christchurch.