11 SEPTEMBER 1942, Page 14

EMPLOYMENT FOR THE ARMY

Stn,—" Janus" says, quite rightly I believe, that men in the army are more concerned with the question of their employment after the war than with anything else. But I think he misses the main point of their concern when he goes on to say that if, through lack of resolute planning and good will, tens of thousands of men returning from the army to civil life find themselves superfl'uities, they will not stand that role for very long.

Surely the soldier's chief concern is the belief that he will be forced to stand that role, as his father was before Him, and that "they" will once again rob him of his promised rights. He certainly does not believe that the promises that are made to him about a better Britain will ever be carried out without a revolution—and yet he does not want a revolu- tion and hates the thought of it. But if he does not revolt he sees clearly that no one else will, and so there will be no revolution and no sweeping reforms. A not too encouraging prospect for him. One concrete thing done now—and the Beveridge Report will give plenty of opportunities— to show that the promises are sincere, might change this whole attitude in the army, and strengthen its morale enormously.—Yours, &c., "MILES."