EVERY MAN A SOLDIER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 197, 9 August 1940, Page 5

EVERY MAN A SOLDIER

HON. R. SEMPLE'S TASK ORGANISATION FOR HOME DEFENCE If his language at times bordered on the picturesque, the Honi R. Semple's vigorous and telling address on the projected scheme for the home defence of this country, for which he has been made responsible, and which he outlined to a meeting of business men and others in the Bor ough Council Chambers yesterl- - day, was a tome in itself and! 1 generated, an enthusiasm .whichi was contagious enough to in- , feet even the most hard-headed; conservative . The Minister led up to the subject ■by avoAVing that lie had! not the slightest intention to cease 1 frbiri a constructive roading policy. -Such, he said; would be falsie economy, coupled Avith. n mixture of, compound •stupidity,. Naturally the Avar .Ayas (i time Avlien all departments had to be careful about their expenditure, but if the assets were not maintained: there would be nothing to defend in any Avay should this country be attacked. Some people saitl that i't didn't iYiat-; ter Ayho : won but lie, for his part, did not care if he came out of the Avar Avith only tAvopence to his .name.,..so long as he could have the pleasure of handing on to* his children the same freedom that he had enjoyed. "I will confess," said Mr Semple, "that at one time I was against war. I considered it con- " trary to Christian philosophy and I maintained that we were 1 here to utilise the gifts of bounty and not, seek to, destroy. t and wipe out civilisation. But now I realise I have com'e to thfe' cross roads when I either to lie down and let the tyrant walk over me, and slaughter my children, or else stand up andl fight him for their That is why to-day my feelings have been .transformed into a gospel of hate against this monster," , . j» . . . This Avas no time to *%ag at the knees and go about with long faces, saying, "What's the good?" We must carry on despite all the Hitlers who ever lived. He Avould meet Avith the same fate as all Hie other tyrants in history. Our cause Avas based upon human happiness and Christian freedom and that cause .could not lose provided Ave kept our chins up. Disclosure of Plans. The Minister then disclosed that an intensified campaign would- be launched next week in which all boroughs and "counties Avonld be asked to co-operate. This Avould make for a defence system Avhich Avould utilise CA'ery able-bodied man in the country. There Avere thousands, Avlio, like himself, Avere unable to join up for military service of any but Avlio could be relied upon to give a very good account of themselves in the event of an invasion. The Government Avould create a post for every man and, he added, 'avc Avant your co-operation.' A Voice: And you'll get it. Continuing, the Minister intimated that an experienced N'cav Zealand general Avould have charge of the garrison army. There Avould be sixteen divisional officers and returned soldiers Avould be invited to help in giA'ing general instruction. He had been appointed to organise the Avhole of the new scheme and it Avas his intention to traA'el night and day so that this country Avould be organised from end to end. No one kncAv Avhat Avas going to happen to-morroAA r and it Avas necessary to be on guard. "As for these snivelling snuffle-* hustlers, Avlio cried out, "What's the good?" and threAV up their hands,, avc should be a nation of coAvards if'avc listened to them. The only Avav I Avill surrender is Avhen I'm dead." The geography of this country lent itself to defence, said the Hon. R. Semple. The P.W.D. engineers might not kmw a great deal about the conduct of AA'ar but they kneAA r lioav to use gelignite and could use it to effect against an enemy. He Avould be back shortly and would endeavour to infuse a vim and vigour into the neAV movement, theren by creating more 'intestinal forti-