CONSCRIPTION ISSUE

Chronicle (Levin), 28 May 1949, Page 4

CONSCRIPTION ISSUE

R.S.A. Sees Danger In - Public Deciding A strong protest t against ' the proposal to submit the compulsory na.ional service issue to a referen dum, and commendation on the stand taken by the Prime Mmisiei Fraser, was voiced * at the annual meeting of the Levin R.S.A on Thursday night. The matter was.raise'd when the president, Mr. N. M. Thomson, submitted a motion urging comnu1sory national service, and protesting against a referendum being rnt means of deciding the issue on the grounds '(.hat the Government, bemg in possession of expext advice and a true nicture of the situatior. to'day, was in a better position thar the uninformedi public to judge the ntcessity for compulsory' service, and should act according.y. The moti'n was flnal y passed a majority of 68 to 22, but onlj after a .ong discussion which0 al times was a little hea.ed. one speaker at times finding -difficultjm making himself heard. Mr. Thom'son's motion was as follows: "That this meeting of the Levin R.S.A. s.rong.y approves th. prmcip.e of compulsory national service and urg.s the immediate mtroduction of legislation to givc eifect to that nrincip.e. It s ronglj protests and urges the Dominior. executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. to protest against the proposal to submit the quesfcion to a referendum on the ioliowing grounds: (l) Thai the Government, being acquainted with the f&c s and in possession of expert advice (which; of course, it cannot divulge for securitv reasons), is in a ver.y mueh bettei position than the uninformed public to judge as to the necessity foi compulsory service; and (2) that in the event of a majority of those who vote being against compu sory national service, the intolerable position may be reached that thc Government will apparently fail tc take this urgent measure for the defence of the^ country, which tbn Government itself knows to be necessary." 6pposing Elements. If the British Commonwealth of Nation, s armed itse.f to ihe teeth it wouM not be attacked or comnel ec to go to war, Mr. Thomson said, when enlarging on his motion. It wouid do no one any harm to go to camp for three months once or twicc in his ufetime. In fact the qountry's manhood would be the better for it. When one found the Prime Minister of the country talking like he did, it was informed talk. "He knows, yet they want to ask us who don't know to decide." The Government was committed if a referendum was held. They would be burning iheir boats. and if it was not carried what a farcica' position the .(^-oyq^nment would be 'in. The Communists were being given a chance to vote out s weapon that would defeat them, continued Mr. Thomson. Many young peop'e who had just turnea 21 and had not studied the auestion would be voting. Then there were the conscien ious objectors who would be against it. Emn'overs of labour would also have to be Included. as it was hardly like^y that they would vote for something that wou'd lose them their staffs for a neriod. There were the young m'arried couples. The wiv.es wou'd hardly be expected to vote their husbands into camn. There were- also many or^anisations in the country, traditionally against ing against them for it. They came out in the onen and alwavs had Therefore, there were the fcur elements against the issue— the hostile, the uninformed, Ihe unblamable. se'f interest class, the conscientious objectors and the Communists. They would all vote 'against what the Governmeni, thought was necessary. During the discussion which followed many views were put forward. Rev. A. Salmond said he thought that the democratic idea of a referendum was ihe best, as the' Government would feel better if it was carried with the enthusiasm of a strong majority of an informed public. It would be much better for the R.S.A. to he the spearhead of a move to inform the.pubhc. It

snouia oDtam^tne1 miormation and give it to the people before the poll. Mr. H. B. Burdekin said the R.S.A.'s job shpuld be one of action rather than protest. He thought that the motion shoyld endorse ihe poiicy of compu' sory service and stop aD that.. The R.S.A. could then see that the referendum was carried by an overwhelming majority. Education Needed. Mr. W. G. Bishop said he agreed with the last two s$e akers. The people would not be asked to vote on something they knew nolhing about. The Prime Minister woulci take the initiative in educating the people and he thought hat New Zealanders could be trusted. He had a^ays been a volunteer himself and thought that a voluntary system would work bet'er. It had never been tried. It was- good enough for Australia and Canada and should be good enough for New Zealand. He thought the question should be put to the people and he was in favour of a referendum. no'. only on this question^ ^ but on all questions of nationaE Regarding the danger of war which had been made so much of by Mr. Thomson, were not the people being told that Ihe crisis was receding. What nroof was there that there was need for de|ence? New Zealand had got on for many vegrs without conscription in peace tiine. When the time came the people would volunteer. j Cries of "They would not be trained," "We'll train them," and

"Too late— ■ too late" greeted the speaker at this point. The training had always proved cq be obso ete, continued Mr. Bishop. The military mind waf generally reactionary and terided to live in the past. War in the future would be applied science The best training for the young men of tomoreow was in the universities, then the enemy could be met -on a much bet.er footingi Other Views. Mr. R. Woodfield said that the highest authoriuies in the land he d opposite views to the last : speaker." The Government was there to do what it thought was necessary am right, and not to refer* everything back to the people all the time. No system of voluntary training would attract sufflcient numbers. He did nofbelieve that the young men of today were willing to go intc i£mp and lose pay and advancement. New Zealanders had lo realise that the, wolves were not fa] ; from the door— only in China now. He believed in compulsory service for every young man in the country, and he considered himself a young man still. Mr. P. Baruholoihew said he considered' it unwise to adopt univertai milhary service. Developing the country and its resources was the best defence. Mr. E. Norton said he be'ievec" that if put to the people, the refer--mously. If the Government did not mous'y. If the Government did no. make it a referendum issue, then

they would be called dictators.- The country was in danger and that was not imagination. The danger wsf very - real, particularly now that Shanghai had faLen. The Government, however, was fully up with the siLuation and he did not think the R.S.A. should annoy them. He did not doubt that the referendum would be carried. Mr. J. W. Lynch said that when there was a smad percentage against ifc in the R.S.A.'s own midst, how many of the general public would vote for it? _ Mr. E. R. Winkler said he would like to thank Mr. Thomson for bringing the1 matter before the meeting and guiding it so ably. He thought, however, that the Dominion vice-president, Mr. Burdekin, was right in that a protest at Lhis slage would be a waste oi breath, and that the R.S.A. shou/c. concentrate on educating public opinion in such ai way that the referendum would be carried. ^ Dr. E. T. G. MiTer said he questioned if public opinion could be swayed. During ihe Japanese scare Levin's community was quite placi'd, he said, _and the public in general was quite unaware of any danger. At this stage an amendnient to the motion, that no protest be made but that the association merejy endorse its poiicy of approving of compulsory training, was put by Mr. Burdekin, but was lost as stated. The original motion was then put to the meeting and carried.