A MONSTROUS INJUSTICE.
[To ma E707017 07 Tux .Sercreros."]
Sac—The first duty of a Government is to establish justice. That being so, the first act of our National Government must be to enact Universal National Service. Since we emerged from barbarism there has been no Birch injustice as exists between those who serve their country and those who refuse service. That some are impelled by an overwhelming sense of duty to make a complete sacrifice in no way mitigates the injustice. I know a widow who has lost in this war her two very promising only sons. In the words of the Old Book, " She bath east in all that she bath." I know a small firewood merchant with six sons of military age who Bays his sons are "too good to be shot at." "One man one vote," "One vote one value "—such were some of our old political war-cries. To adjust some slight difference in the burden of taxation, or some slight inequality in the suffrage, the great machinery of party was set in motion, and great orators lashed huge meetings to indignation. Shall we not now immediately adjust the immeasurable inequality between the widow and the firewood merchant ? This question is infinitely tragic, but our method of dealing with it has been grotesque in its absurdity. Imagine a voluntary Income Tar. Imagine posters "In the hour of her need your country calls for your Income Tax."
"Your pal Smith has paid his Income Tax. Won't you?" "When will they pay their Income Tax?"
Instead of this mad nonsense, the Revenue Officer issues a demand-note. Suppose an Income Tax collector went round persuading A to pay all his income to the Revenue because B, C, and D declined to pay. Should the public spirit of A release B, C, and D P What would the Exchequer say about the beauty of voluntary offering P Now, Sir, what we want is that the National Government shall insist upon the performance of the supreme duty. Let them drop their posters and use the demand-note for men. — I am,
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