THE HOME GUARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 225, 21 September 1940, Page 8

THE HOME GUARD.

Some weeks have passed since the Minister of National Service announced that he was devoting most of his energy, which is known to be considerable, to the organisation of the Home Guard. Since then he and others have addressed several meetings throughout the country, and a Dominion commandant of the Guard has been

appointed. But it must be pointed out again that very few people in the Dominion could say, now, what the Home Guard is intended to do. Mr. Semple said in Wellington on Thursday that its only purpose was "to protect the lives, property and liberty of our people." That is an unhelpful generalisation. Mr. Semple said also that New Zealand, like other countries, had a percentage of "fifth columnists," or traitors, and if the country were "organised" it could discover them and put them out of action. But a special organisation is not needed for that purpose unless Mr. Semple is aware that New Zealand's percentage of potential traitors is considerable, in which case the army proper would be the proper instrument to use. If the percentage is very small, as most people believe, there is nothing the Home Guard could do that the police force could no 1 , do better. Mr. Semple said also that even if there were 110 need to use the Home Guard in defence, this would be a better nation when its people had "rubbed shoulders together" and come to a better understanding of one another. This admirable sentiment cannot in itself justify the organisation of the Home Guard. It is not with any desire to prejudice the prospects of the new organisation that this comment is made; but Mr. Semple and the Government should realise that what men —patriotic men, [willing and eager to serve—are asking themselves is: "If I join the Home Guard, what will I have to do?" And so far they have not heard a clear answer.