FUTILITY OF WAR.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18879, 24 February 1933, Page 7

FUTILITY OF WAR.

EX-SOLDIER’S OUTBURST. “CONTEMPTIBLE IIYPBOCRISY.” An Impassioned outburst against file futility of war was uttered by Mr R. G. Young, a soldier-settler, of Gordonton, speaking at a gathering of Gordonton .-settlers a few days ago. “We wero told we were waging war to make the world safe for democracy," said Mr Young. “Tlntt was just shallow, miserable, mean and contemptible hyprocisy. I got my lot at Flcrrs in 191(1. A division of us in the height of physical Illness marched in. We camped in the open in the thunder of the guns and knew 'we were up against il—l have seen , Grenadier Guards Oft tall march into the slaughter—over 1000 of us marched in and only 23 came out. There was a Held full of dead —tor what? 1 was six weeks in a French hospital, 100 ill to go lo England. Eighteen of us were blown up by one shell and only four recovered. I have seen men swealing in French hospitals, mad with agony. I have seen men with hideous wounds, men between whose ribs you could place your hands. “Never Had a Chance.” “They told us we fought lo make the world safe for democracy. Are we going to see that that promise is honoured? Democracy lias never had • a fair chance; it has always been

ruled by the money power, but the money power Is going to be broken In this country. Wo are drifting again into war and war is hell. We may be called Bolsheviks or Communists, but we are not going to be led into it again. We must go onward and upward and adopt a com-mon-sense system of currency under which there will he no unemployment, no widespread unhappiness and no incentive to go to war.” Applause followed Mr Young's remarks.