The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1914. OUR CITIZEN SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2133, 27 April 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1914. OUR CITIZEN SOLDIERS

fr_ The-Territorial camp which will commence operations at Tafcapau today acquires special interest and importance by r.c*son of the visit of the Inspector-General of Overseas Forces (She lan Hamiltok), The In-spector-General was very favourably impressed with what he saw of Australia's citizen army, aad his report upon the defence forces of Kew- Zealand will bo awaited with intcfesfc both by our military authorities and the general public. Our system of military training is bound to hate a very real effect on tho moral and physical standards of the people, quite apart from its necessity as a safeguard against foreign aggression. I'tio lessons of comradeship, self'reliance, discipline, and resourcefulness which the young soldiers lea-rn in the course of their training must tend to draw out and strengthen the best elements in thoir character, just as their military exercises will improve their physique and .general bearing, and thereby increase their physical fitness, _ Everything points to the eonehisittn that their training .its Territorials will make them better men, and the realisation of the fact that in making themselves efficient soldiers they are doing something for their country should certainly mal?e them better citizens. A young man's expori-coecs as a. 3tornfcorial cannot be divided o-ff from his life as a. etti*' zen, Ht> is a citizen soldier, aad these- two phases of Ills career must act and react on each other to the enrichment of both. The moral and physical value of a system of compulsory training was reccetiy stated in a verv aMs manner by tho Dean of Durham (£>B. Hbssok) an 4 SiJa James ObicmtokBuchvse as members of a deputation from the- National Service League which waited 6a tho British Prime Minister, Sir James Ori£hto:nBnowifß con tended that national service was absolutely necessary to complete the "educational system aad to ensure the freodpm o.f the next goneration fro.ui maay crippling; blemishes. and defects. Military drill and discipjino would enlarge the nwijtal calibre of the nation, aad make the youths grow up, nofc only atraighter and stronger,-but.mote sclf-ceijrfcroll* ing aad right-mindod. Dft, Hfisses expressed the opinion that "tfo lack of discipline and public spirit, which obtained generally among our people, was responsible, f or much <d .the,-social difficulty which flew confronted iis so menacingly," He went on to say that tho English bey provided the best civic material In the world, but in tho absence of suitable training and a worthy idea of citizenship, that material almost necessarily raia to waste. Patriotism when divorced from personal responsibility end personal competence must needs take forms at once exaggerated and useless. Mb, AsWlffltVon-dca?-onr to meet the points raised by Dis. Hensox and Sin James CiucarasBbowke were unsatisfactory and unconvincing. Ho. admitted the weakness of the education system as far a.s physical traiaing is oonoerned, but stated Uiat c.ountrics which b.avr, enjoyed the adyantagds of compulsory military services for a generation or two di(j not show highot physical and moral standards thaa those which obtained in Grea.s Britain. Commenting on this form of argument, the London Times pftrtinfently *emarks that national.'stendards caanot be measured compfiiativelv and reduced to statistics. Tho poi'nt is that in countries where military training prevails the standard o'l physique, discipline, and. duty isij higher than it would be withmit that : training. This can hardly be denied, < it may not redeem thosi> who h»yo (lecorae part of tho wastrel elempnt in the population; but it will I'm- : prove and strengthen the vast majority of tho lads and make them more fitted ffer their work iri life, whatever it may be, and do something to prevent them from drifting into the ranks of the physically and morally unfit. Normal tealthy-minded awl , hei'ilthy-bodied lads may be confidently expected to be keen on military training, and the novelty of eamp life in the country adds aat to their Territorial work. Ilio Minister of Defence recently declared ; that from his own personal inquiries, (■■aps'eially those miule when his identity was unknown, he could say UiSt the system \v«s popular with the boys , of the CommoinviuUlh; and there can ] lie n« doubt thai;, with very few i eeptiuns tlse young New Zealander is etjually; eager to fit. himself to cki Fend liis country in time of vux'd. ', j This sjiirtt gives a deeper meaning ', (o patriotism by adding fo it tlw sle- ■ ment of personal responsibility. , There is no need to fear that q citi- ' •/.en srinv snob "s we are building up ' in New Ztala.tid will p.ver becpm* a • menace to the civil power. It has ■•,

|l!sv'Wwnt''i! l>rllss> civil ftiif.i^.rili*«, siiikl''will'ln! vimtmHml \>v t-lw»m; »ri(i r<li/.T<! .i;j n<i(- tlii«. rciii(i(i4 lik"lili«md ■■■nf.llyi-ciliwij! jiK jtolrfii.f (<N Ilii; nglilii nnd lilmrtwra of Ifw cilizfUi '.i» liiii uivil mpiic.ii.y. 't'hef" iin , , how-i-vur, a grciil, winy wopta in lii'i f)lil Cuiititry who feair Ikiil. n. <i,yM/;iti fsf MtnfMilsory iniliUry Ifuiniwtf v/ouM be. utUirielcrl by Hmlmurabk i'ohmifiißiiccs, and i;lin /•xpf!ri,)fi(!t«tfi which arc now b/'inK irindrs Hi AiMi.rftlia nuti Now Znii.|niiJ nre Jiniijjf wiry clo:!"]) , watebwl, Tte effects of the «e.nwnfl .in aoiami optrsHion !m British «miiHuniUc.H in this fcurfc of U»e world mii Hi- h>i-vfs wm; with ili?, (•!-!,«• U>n of ilm United Kingdom than any fttnmtnt <■>/ fclworet.iwil argument) however phtusihlo it i^ay Bimn-d. This fitd: tomls ndiiitionul important to l/lio visit of Sir las HiiitiWoN, whow report osi what ho ban seen Add hcttfd cannot Jiiil to have considerable iftflucHCo on Ibfl national sorvior; inovoimmi, at. Home. After w Uncasing a display of jiJiysieal training arrahf,<:d l),y the lii'Juaation T.Je.jiartrwnt in Melbourne:, hn admitted' that he liml mwv Jifl«n anything (ipprmtohing it, urn! wiid that ho would give tlie English odiiciiHoniil authorities a description of what he had scon. It is time that the Inspector-General has declared himself against the pnwKmal to introdiKfi conipulsury train) tig into Uritflin, but it is qiiito pORBibKs (.lint his prcsifnt tour may tanas him to modify some of his vkwb on t.uis point. He slates tljat Auatralln i« doing good work in "■organising l*s army' while the wotld fcmaiflsVhat it is, .nn-if itt getting its aftA-ancnt ill order before ftny pattticularly pr*'»ing peril afkes. if Australia raid New Zealaiid arc a-ctittg wisely in tl;e {ortnatlon «f a citissch aritiy, will naturally ask why a similar system would not bo a good thing J'oc the United Kingdom.