The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Sun. THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1942. WHAT'S AHEAD?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 172, 23 July 1942, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Sun. THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1942. WHAT'S AHEAD?

JT is in some degree inevitable that there should be a large proportion of appeals by men recently called up for army service. Nearly all of them are married men, and many c,f them occupy fairly responsible posts in civil life and have a variety of commitments and ties which are hard to break without serious inconvenience or loss to themselves and others. Another factor is that although the majority of men liable for military service realise that the country's need must come first, some honestly doubt whether they would be as useful in the army as in their present occupations. They are aware of cases, the number and importance of which may be exaggerated, of men who have been called up and are now doing army service of a kind that "any#ne could do." In addition thoy are aware that when they are called up their age may be an almost insuperable bar to the attainment of a commission, and they do not relish the prospect of coming under the command of officers many years junior to them. There can be no question that it is the individual's duty to subordinate private predilections, dislikes and doubts to the national interest, but in practice they exert a considerable influence and as it is in the national interest that the men in the armed services should have as few private worries as possible and cherish no resentments, the Government has a duty, too. That duty is, first, to give as much information as possible concerning matters of policy which affect men s futures.

XT If J 1 lhe intention of the Government to continue to reinforce the N.Z.L.F. overseas as opportunity offers? A man liable for service naturally looks very differently on the prospect of service overseas and service in New Zealand. In some cases it makes the difference between a derision to break up his home and a decision to keep it going. Secondly are the present age-limits for military service likely to be altered? The Minister of Defence this week has relieved doubts on the question of overseas service for men under 21; the policy of not sending them abroad is unchanged, and there is no "present intention" of altering it But this?time next'year? 1 tH ' nk * lhat the P ° licy wiH be the same at

It is realised that these questions involve questions of "high policv" Shrl 1 >° h e ,lZ m,nn \l n v f . the P ractical "mits of New Zealand's war effort abroad, but. they shoulJ not for that reason be shrouded in secrecy and never publicly discussed. It is universally taken as a matter of course haw 'thP Ven n i°th an . a . ttack °H this countrv the Government would havt the right, and the duty, to call upon everybody who might be useful woukf be a such re ?? e t Cti T e ° f age> Condi VT ° r sex> and that the response k f u ° leave no 8 ro ""d for criticism. New Zealanders abroad have fought as well as any other troops in the world; but in defence of their own country, in their own country, they would fight fX® n n , er ,' Bu J' it . ' s not universally taken as a matter of course that the Dominion should go on sending men abroad, indefinitely, on the wuTno™ C rpfnV" PaS » l ' Alt | 10 "8h it is realised that the Second'n.Z.E.F. will need reinforcements, and that it must never be "let down" bv the people at home there is also a realisation that the Dominion's need of manpower for home defence and for the maintenance of the fundamental £?H?7iV.E uc A ure must ultimate 'y he paramount. There need be no w/h ur Govern , ment continually concerned with these questions if h pU , bllc 18 , e , nt ' tled to know in terms the conclusions ft has reached, even if these conclusions necessarily are provisional.