WHAT IS WRONG?

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 104, 29 December 1939, Page 8

WHAT IS WRONG?

DOMINION'S WAR EFFORT

MR F. W. DOIDGE'S VIEW

"While firmly believing that party politics should be kept out of New Zealand's Avar effort, I feel that the time has arrived for plain speaking by public men, of the part Ave arc playing in the Avar," said Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P* at a fareAvlel function to soldiers at Katikati last Wednesday night. "I will not be accused of exaggeration Avhen I say that loyal NeAV Zealanders are profoundly disturbed by the nature of the response to the Government's call for men and monej r . In the last Avar, NeAV Zealand recruited 140,000 men. Hun dreds of thousands of pounds Averc contributed freely and gladly to patriotic funds. Why is it that Ave have so far failed to mobilise men or money in anything like the proportions of 1914? "No one Avill accuse the Government of lack of sincerity of pur- j pose," continued Mr Doidge. "Yet, after four months' effort, the result must be as disheartening to the Government -as it is to serious minded man and woman in the' country. "Arc the people of New Zealand less loyal than in 1914? We know, most emphatically, they are not. Is the cause less worthy? Again, Ave knoAV it is not. One essential missing, perhaps, is that of inspirational leadership. It could be found, perhaps, if a decision AA r as taken to broaden the basis of Go\ rernment. That could be done Avitliout the necessity for a political coalition. "But Ave know the problem of man supply aa*ill be difficult to solve until the youth of the country is satisfied that there Avill be equality of sacrifice. Rightly or Avrongly, most people believe they know Avhere the slackers are. Compulsory serA'ice operates in both Britain and France. Compulsory service Avould soh r e our problem here. We are told bj- certain people that conscription of man power is alien to democratic gOA r ernment. But these people fail to tell lis how they reconcile this vieAA', and make it square, Avith insistence on compulsory unionism. "We are told," added the speakr er, "that the issue of conscription will be decided, one Avay or the other. at the Easter Conference- of the Labour Party. But Parliament, not the Easter conference, is the place to decide that issue, and, hoav that Mr Fraser has returned. I hope the Prime Minister Avill accede to Mr Hamilton's request, and call Parliament together without delay."