"BE FAIR TO EVERYONE"

Chronicle (Levin), 17 March 1949, Page 4

"BE FAIR TO EVERYONE"

Compulsory Service Urged By R.S.A. Spokesman The R.S.A., like many authorities on defence matters, was a firm believer in the policy of being prepared for war during days of peace, and for that reason was engage'd in an all-out campaign for the introduction of compulsory military training, said Mr. E. Hamilton-Mitchell, district vicepresident of the N.Z.R.S.A., when speaking at the quarterly general meeting of the Levin branch last night. Eng7and had been caught once by setting an example to the world in a demobilisation. scheme, continued the speaker. It had very neariy ...pe.t disasier. Since the lsst war,> however, both .England and the United States of America had had conscription in peace time — for the firsc time in their nistories. It had been introduced in England by a Soeialist Government Under Engxand's conscription method, every boy on leaving school was r.equired to undergo one year in the forces, after which he was posted to the reserve, said the speaker. In order to inc ude tnose who had missed such training by having left school prior to the Introduction of the Sclgeme, a voluncary scheme for enlistment in the oerritorials had been brought in. It had proved a compiete failure. In Australia a voluntary scheme of enlistment only was in operation. The Australian Government now frankly a'dmitted that it was a failure. Under a vdluntary scheme, all but the few keen ones found excuses, S'ome were reasonable

enough but others were not a bit eonvincing. There was only one fair way to treat the matter, added the speaker, and that was by making them all go through the mill by introducing compulsory training. A period in camp did no one any harm. In fact it was most beneficial in turning out a physically fit generation, which was a practical advantage to any country. "We feel that were a referen'dum taken on the subject we would get compulsory training. It is at present a case of the tail wagging the dog." • , After outlining the danger m which New Zealand had found itself during the war, the. speaker said that it was obvious that we were saved by the intervention of America. New Zealand, he said was wi'de open to attack and could now be reached almost completely by a land route— a route wnich the Japanese had planned to use.