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War Time Recreation. —*.—

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

War Time Recreation. — .— A REPLY TO THE RECENT I PROTEST. (BS Ap Sospan). The protest by "two-soldiers-honie-on- leave" against, as their letter implies, the atrocious behaviour of those, who happen to be lucky enough to be still at, home, in indulging in "dancing" as a forlll of recreation brings again under discussion the question of war time re- creation, May I give my views P V. hat of my, credentials ? Well, I.-ON-ei- three years a soldier. 2.- Two and a half years active ser- vice without a break, except onc 1 short ten days furlough last winter, j j Will Lancc-CorpI. Phillips and Ptk?, Jenkins concede that at any rate my opinions arc not biassed in favour 01' the -iv a,?- botnes I "A lively dance." I I have never danced in my life, except- ing on occasions through sharp h:.rd- knocks on my lower limbs on the foot- ball field, and, since my advent to France, on occasions when Fritz has ueen rather indiscriminately dumping his 'iron rations" in immediate vicinity. Its a lively dance then Eh ? Well that fact entitles me to claim myself unbiassed in favour of dancing. Recreation in War Tie, -.I. LH J But the question tnaIJ presents u,el1 to all unprejudiced minds is, "Should any form of recreation be allowed in war time ?" Dancing after all is only a form of recreation. To the healthy minded it is as fine a recreation as any. Arguments that may be brought against dancing may be applied, equally justi- fiably, as arguments against many other forms of recreation. Will you ban all recreation during war j time ? Can we "carry on" for duration without football, hockey, golf, dancing, j billiards, the theatre, the music hall, the picture palace? Can we? With due 'IL h e tAN-0 deference to the opinons v* two soldier protestants," I need hardly trouble to state that, without the re- j creations I have stated, we cannot carry j on. Ban these and to what are we to turn for relaxation ? Whenever the muscles arc subject to sustained tension there "must" be periods of rest, when all muscles are re- laxed. It is but natural; hence the reason why sleep is so necessary to us. The Value of Recreation. j As with the "physical" so with the "mental." Undergo severe mental strain j and unless subsequently your mind -is i ested there will follow a mental break- down. How then is the mind to be rested ? One cannot always enjoy sweet oblivion of daily worries m dreamland; but in recreation we can at least woo temporary oblivion. During those hours we spend at recreation worries cease to weigh upon the mind, hence the mind is rested, and the recreation hour over, we j arc the fresher and clearer minded again to face and tackle the cares and worries of our daily life. TKie Favourite Pastime. The more engrossed one becomes in the particular form of recreation one in- dulges in, the more effective one's j "mental rest." Every man then should be f roo, to enjoy his favourite pastime during his spare hours. Every man his own choice then. For some of us the football field; for others the danemg floor, and golf; billiards, the theatre or music halls for those who prefer them. 1 am not qualified to choose his pastime even for my best chum; nor he for 1. What appeals to me often holds no in- terest for him. Why then should I in- sist that his pastime should be my I favourite pastime ? If it did not in- terest him, he would not find that "mental rest" he needs by indulging in | it. j Living for Recreation. I The only time recreation is harmful is1 when it becomes all a man lives for. Are there any such men who term themselves "Britishers" to-day ? If so they are not worthy of the name. They are the out- casts of our land. I shall not believe that there are many such men now in my native town. No Uanclly has patrioti- cally done altogether too well to be a "haven" for the chicken hearted 1 "Tiie Strapping young Fessowo. I Again another word to my protesting I friends re the "strapping young fellows • they saw disporting themselves around ) town, and in the dance, "W ho those "strapping young fellows" ? I too have iieon on leave, and have seen those ex- cellent young fellows. Yea, and I have envied them. Scores of them I found were doing splendid work for King and country at the munition factories and at the other local works producing the es- sential materials (steel, etc.) tor oui munition factories. Many more I knew personally to have been, not once nor twice, but many times rejected by the military. Again there was quite a sprinkling of our "heroic" Tommies who for excellent reasons had chosen to dofl the khaki for a wee while, and to don civics during a well earned leave. Others again there were for whom it is a far I harder fight to 'stand by' the old folks at home than it would be to 'stand to' v,- I 'til us in the firing line. Judging by Appearances. No my friends, things must not be judged by appearances. Personally, I I have as great a regard for our army of r Avoykci-s as they have for us Tommies. They have stood by us it-oVly and well, working at highest pressure "behind the scenes," that we in the limelight might be furnished with the wherewithal to send Fritz back to the "Yaderland," or indeed to a ''hotter- laRd." They hayc aID spkndidly re- sponded to all appeals made by Tommy ("wounded and at home, or in the fighu- j ing zone) upon their generosity. Let us Tommies then not begrudge them their hours of recreation, whether they be spent at football or dancing. After all we have our recreations whenever we are l able to indulge in them. "While cut "at rest," football and other pastimes are generally "all the go" amongst 'us Tommies, and behind the lines, it does my heart good to see pastimes of various kinds so freely indulged in. Ta understand one another. In fact I should like a good deal more time for recreation, and some tourna- 1 ments In various pastimes ¡et\ccn "Tommy" and his keenest admirer and supporter "the war worker." Then we would learn to understand one another for, after all, we're all "some of the b-hoys." Hail then ye lucky war workers Come give me your hand Let's shake and forget that a Tommy grew wrathful when he saw you enjoy your spare moments. After all it is not I to he wondered at for really one's nerves do get rather "out of order" after a. I prolonged period dodging Fritz's "five- I nines" in France. I I I T himself be true. j As I have said the dance claims me I not a habitue; but there can be no harm in dancing nor indeed in any other pastime if "Each man unto himself be true, For then he cannot do harm to any I man. j Appeal for a Bali. I And now Mr. Editor, sir, may I (if in- I j deed you think your kinu readers will I hear with me) appeal to one, or a party, 1 of our worthy, but unfortunately often misjudged friends, for a "Rughy ball." I ) We are between twenty and thirty I I "Sosnanites" stranded amidst two ¡ Brigades of ardent Soccer enthusiasts. Many a time we have longed for a game of Rugby, and, if our appeal is success- ful, mean to demonstrate to our chums how much more interesting is our foot- I hall than theirs Many thanks in anti- elation to our benefactors. [We heartily commend this appeal to our generous readers and shall be happy to furnish the address in France to which the ball is to be sent.—Editor.]

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