The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1941 MEN OR MICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 193, 15 December 1941, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1941 MEN OR MICE

THE appeal for more men for the Home Guard units of Whakatane was to the disgrace of the town answered in a manner which can only be described as pitiful. To-day with the threat of invasion more real than ever before: men exist in this town who still choose to bask in the stupid security created of their own selfish apathy. It is unbelievable that there are still people who after the bitter lessons of Hawaii, Guam, Wake and Midway Islands, believe that this country of ours should be sorted out for special protection -by the fates. We have heard it ! Our readers have: heard it — almost every day in the streets. 'No there's no chance of the Japs coming here.' Of all the empty add.le-pated twaddle, such talk in the face of obvious proof, and swift devasting attacks such as have been dealt out to half a dozen islands in the Pacific, becomes pitifully childish. How men grown allegedly to adulthood can still go about mouthing such hopeful platitudes is completely beyond our ken. 'What can we do?' asks another apology masquerading' as a, man. Do ! Surely we are not mice—though the way some persons talk ma.kes one wonder. The Home Guard and the Emergency Precautions Scheme are urgently in need of men. Our place is definitely within the ranks of one or the other. It is absolutely staggering to know that there arc still many ablebodied men who either refuse,, or can't be bothered. These are of course the incredulous 'last minuteites' who without training, discipline or knowledge will present themselves at the phychclogical moment, when every responsible man will have his hands full. They will constitute the nuisance element' which so hampered the French defence and. in the end contributed towards the major disaster which engulfed that unhappy land. But, New Zealand —landj of pioneers, lovers of freedom, life and open air; surely there is no need to spur our menfolk to action with the enemy closer than ever before and with the possibility of attack over us daily. American, bases in the Pacific are already in the hands of the enemy. They will be used as stepping stones to Japan's acknowledged southward expansion. New Zealand constitutes one of the plums of the South Seas towards which Nippon has always cast greedy eyes. Why should we think we are immune? What reason should give us grounds to believe that we will escape? Obviously we are the most attractive proposition to the land hungry Japanese. Ninety per cent fertile, against Australia's twenty-three per cent; one and a half million in population against Australia's eight millions; of a climate exactly on a with that of the Japanese islands —does any one think that these facts are not known to our little yellow friends. Every single man is needed and it is a crying disgrace that such strongly worded appeals as this are needed to goa,d men to that realisation. It makes one: realise the position which made conscription imperative for the regular armed forces. Unless there is a better response throughout the Dominion it will obviously be necessary to introduce conscription (though we had hoped to save the men of this country from such a stigma) to build up a defence force for New Zealand,. As for Whakatane, this town by virtue of its situation has a special duty to perform. Being on/the coast it must be more on the alert than the centres inland. It may even become a focal point,, who can deny it? Yet, what do we find —even the regular units below strength. Men are wanted urgently for the infantry, engineers, signallers, ambulance and other corps. Men, men, men, and the call is now, immediately! Join up with your local unit or contact the Home Guard Headquarters at once. Whakatane could at one time stage a parade of 1200 men. Now„ with a real emergency at our gates we find malingerers and disinterested members dragging this number down, down. Build up, and build up quickly, is the slogan we must adopt and the threat, if it does materialise (which God forbid nevertheless) will prove whether we are a race or mice, or of men worthy of our breed, our country and the principles for which we live. Join the Home Guard!