To the Editor of the "NoerH-CHiNa Datty News." some obley pen than mi fa fitting reply to "Seven Gongs," but as none seems forthcoming I will endeavour to point out to such as regard the wearing of medals to be something to be ashamed of that itis a direct insult to all old soldiers both living-and dead to assert that the wearing of a medal with the sovereign's head on it is something An ancestor of mine whose heart lies buried at Little Mapleford in Essex earned from Richard Coeur de Lion the right for us to wear for all time the Red Cross on our arms, an honour to-day which may seem worthless to most, but to a soldier it is a sure support in time of danger in battle: to remember one's forebears. That the Crusaders were for the most part a band of ruffians out for loot I do not deny and that the capture of Jerusalem appealed to them because they were after all only witch-burning—superstition fanatics, and the Turk at that time was infinitely superior in the matter of personal cleanliness, temperance and honour. Nevertheless it was that spirit' of indomitable tenacity of purpose that kept cur men going;|in the heat, the sand, the dysentery, the plague, their heavy armour, and finally to quarrels and bickerings among their leaders.
'Though the Grand Master of the 8 held forth in the precincts Holy Temple itself and on many occasion reprove' my ancestor for his too frequent libations, yet did he largely depend on' the assassinations done by the brethren of the order in che name of religion, and it was by trickery and lies that many of-his polit were brought to nevertheless that jolly old red cross! is a symbol of no mean significance: to me, We are, all of us weak in some form or another, otherwise we should all be angels Wearing golden crowns and, as we are told, playing harps—more symbols I believe of a well-fought battle.
"Render unto Cwsar the things that, be Casar's and unto God the things which be God's" was che command of the Master, and to the soldier who has done, his duty and fought for his country the visible express ssicn of his country's thanks for that service should not be a matter for sorrow or for shame, for out of all the Empire there was only a very. small percentage of men actually engaged in the ma i and the shame is ing politicians, the scheming devils from] the deepest hell who made money' out of it, and who actually made fortunes Cut of the soldier's rations by short weight and bad niaterial. Every soldier of the Great War is] now shirking his duty if he takes] no interest in the political affairs! of his country, for had it not been'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.