"HOME DEFENDERS"

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1632, 26 December 1912, Page 6

"HOME DEFENDERS"

Sir,—Tour timely sub-leader of this morning emphasises the terrible dangers of the international situation. It also shows that one of the ablest soldiers the world has seen is "a voice crying in the wilderness." At one time Lord Roberts was the people's idol, chosen to lead the forces of the Empire—to-day- even his unrivalled experience fails to rouse the British public from its apathy. But shall we in New Zealand cast the first stone at our mother? What are we doing? On all hands the same apathy, everywhere a colossal belief. that .somehow in the. hour of danger Great Britain will help us and "wriggle out somehow." We are waiting for the Territorials to be trained, tor the little Boy Scouts to grow up and'the great majority of able-bodied men rejoice in their'ex-, emption from military service. Now, the remedy! The Government has enough to,do and .none-are more' iiwam of the gravity of the situation than Mr. Massey; and his colleagues. But they need support and they require the wholehearted aid of every man and woman in -New Zealand. They want the press ranged up to emphasise their warnings and to show that of all duties, that of patriotism—real patriotism—comes first. When "the day" arrives what will be the use of bur shops and our banks, _ our warehouses and our public institutions, unless those who hold them determine to keep'tkeni at the bayonet point? .- What are the first spoils of war?—gold, and women. Will we have our property destroyed, our wives, sisters, sweethearts and daughters the sport of a lawless soldiery frenzied with the lust of war and fresh from easy carnage? To say that such is not; the case is to be wilfully blind to facts as shown in the cables of.j the last few months. And to-day we read "Servia's spoils of war total .£4,000,000." Just Servia—what about the others? As we stand we are an easy prey, but if everv able-bodied man determined that he himself would help his Government and his country by purchasing a rifle and learning to use it, the tale might be dif-' ferent. Let those who cannot buy a rifle be supplied with one by those who could buy forty; let there be in every district an organisation of men who know every road and pathway; let those who could not serve in the ranks help : in'arranging for food and where to store it; let them know of places, where the women, the children, and the aged might be placed in safety; let motor-car owners, bo ready to transport troops, and motorcyclists to form mobile corps.to co-oper-ate with the mounted infantry. Then, when "the day." came, signal fires would gleam from point to point, and we could present a. united front to any foe. - There might l>e aeroplanes at each city, there might be hundreds of matters which suggest themselves to those able to advise. It is not a matter for one, but for all. And it must be a voluntary movement co-operating with those who have already enrolled, while the Government is not called upon to find a shilling of the necessary money cave for rifle i ranges.and for directing the anned forces to be placed at their disposal; Money enough is flung away every day to provide double what is required. The new troop could bo called "Home Defenders," because that would be their primary object, As civilians they must stand by and see those they love shot down in cold blood, the little children's brains dashed out, tho women suffer the unnameable horrors of war. But clad in a simple uniform, ranged under their country's flag they could strike an effective blow for all they hold dear. And might not such on, effort, taken up enthusiastically, and at once, be-an-other object lesson to the Empire and. strengthen the hands of that grand old soldier who is fighting the greatest battlo of his existence—not for vain glory, but for the. love of his fellowmen—striving to arouse them ere it is too late.

This is not hysteria, or jingoism—it is the letter of a man of mature years with a stake in the country, and a wife and family to strengthen arm and pen. To-day I return to Auckland, and I trust that the torch may burn up brighly in Wellington as I shall endeavour to fan it. elsewhere. To any who would co-operate, my address is given. Ido not believe in anonymity and I believe that every movement must have a start. Tho day .for words is past.—l am, etc., CHARLES A. WILSON. P.O. Box 51G, Auckland;