WOMEN AND MILITARISM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 517, 26 May 1909, Page 3

WOMEN AND MILITARISM.

-.•;% WHAT/.-WELLINGTON THINKS.V: , ' ■'■■: : ;y A'PRIVATE. .MEETING. ; /,;'\ •'. v:, The.question of national defence, or for tho matter /of.that;/the. question of national defiance; seems, to: appeal very'. strongly, to : tlio feminine: mind..'- The sight of,actual war. may fill a woman with horror and a deep pity for its• victims;but the thought of a wax tills.her with a spirit, of .enthusiasm—an. ardent iove of Country, that js ; neyer roused to anything likethe samp extent.by.; the duller<and less romantic , .-■.■processes''' of. ; . peaceful progression, professor James says that the charm of war to.: the averago man is the possibilities it offers for. perfect .self-sacrifice,, that the desire to sacrifice himself is deep in every mail's nature, and that-af present only war satisfies this craving as nothing else can 'do. : This is a glorious way-.to look at war," and it may be' the ultimate : explanation of oven war fever. Certain it is that.there is a charm in the thought Qt.military:adyenturp,:and- that. WO: men feel;thiVvery strongly.'. ■, ~ . !;In England, , jii'st now,, women prominent in society, ' ; are. busying, themselves in \ arious with a iuoad national.scheme;ofvclefenc'o^'iitid'everyone remembers howj\ acting" on! tho" suggestion of Princess Louise a great number,, of ■ vomon became recruiting ■ageritsifor'i.the. , TerritorialArmy. -Echoes of-sudr-movements are to bo' , heard throughout the Empire, and here in vve|lirigton : ajband of' v/onien. have determined that it is their ..duty to agitate for a scheme of compulsory military; training, since the women of the' Dominion 'and .thocbil;dren ..would .■•snffcr-.-more- from .foreign. in'-' Evasion,than';'would..even the men who rushed to arnis in dofencoi of their homes. '';..' : ■■■ '■- It was.,witli ,no : yepr'r'clear' idea as to/what I the views.of, her/friends.would be that Mis. David ;■ Nathan '.celled;;.a'.private meeting of Mies.to;discuss the. position question of the ■Dominion's defences'. \They , met;.yesterday afternoon.: at r ; her ,homein Aurora, Terrace, and it -was'very \soon 'everyone present was: thoroughly in accord with tho >iewa of the speakers..-;-;■ ! ',';<.'"... ; : .:'. ;' Mrs. David Nathan! spoke bf the ■ nedd for disciplining the youth of the' Dominion. The want, of discipline bad a very; bad effect, and compulsory .'military .training would benefit every,one of.them.';■ ~--' "'■'■ '■ ;'■'■■: :'.'■' ••••'■■ said t.hat people confused the. idea;.of ; conipulsory training'.- with 'that '': of compulsory two very. different, things. Compulsory, serviced inight. take ' nieri far afield .to,serve,in r " foreign .wars; '.compulsory training'niorely'rrieant being -prepared to de-\ fehd/one's ■ownUnnd'.from invasion. \ .This question ivas.;really; a. ; woman's since she.and' her 'cliildi'eii"would suffer most,by • invasiori; , ;."-.-"- , '-.:;.:-"-'.:-;-- , .:.■■:■':''.■'.■• .-■■.■';': '.•.-,' ■... spoke'of what' he 'had 1 seeu'of military training' in the Old TVorld, and said 'that, .'.while -he: had. been "opposed to it. in theory, tho sight of the-fine-meii had changed Ihi.s opinion; : Ho suggested that, during -I', the three' years- from eighteen to' twenty-one, men should bocompellefl *to give two .months to ■'military training, '.oneiinonth during tlio first year, and afortnight in each of: tho : .two;'following years. -If : this;were dono', ■in 'course' of/tinio'jlNcw' Zealand would. ■have, a large'body ; :if men 'trained , to obey orders arid carry'arnis.; ;..■'■■- ; . .; i'.v "' .Mrs: .A. ; E.' Atkinson:made a very amusing 'and effective , speech,'.'and-:said.that thoso who would not fight f or" their - country should riot be allowed to,yote.\, ■: :•'■•'' '"■-. ■•..• :■::■..'- ... It .was agreed, that the Mayoress' should be askod ;to : ,conyene a "meeting , of. women into forming, a. women's committee which would worlc jn corijiiniitioh with the: men's committee, and Miss Biehmond'suggested that each woman present should promise to bring twenty people to the .meeting, if it were called —a proDosal. that was.'recpived:with onthusinsm. ;V.On the motion'of Mrs.-Nathan, Air. S.-.A. Atkinson , was requested to act:as secretary, with power to convene meetinr;s. There were nrcsent:'Me.'dam«s D.. J. Nathan .1; Duncan, K.-T.'-.Hridfielfl;;Kebbell, H. T. Johnston, Jin ,T)uncan;.-.-Ad.imson, ; Rankire-Brown, F. Riithoi-foril, Van. Staye'-en, Salmond,' Kenflnll,•'..Sarnupl,' Tewsley. Freeth,'' and A. R. Ajtkinson,' and-Misses G. fioniervillo, C 2), Skerrett, Richmond, nrid Dr. JJ.-'fSunn.-'.- Thern .were also'-presPiit. jressrs. >>. J. Nathan, Piercefreeth, and S. A. Atkinson.' v> • l .'-, ..:. ■'•;-.".'•;'■.'.■■,•■..- ■■■ '••. ." .'.