The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1915. FIFTY THOUSAND MEN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2477, 2 June 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1915. FIFTY THOUSAND MEN

Since the present war began we have had to readjust our ideas on a good many matters, and one of these has been the extent to which it is necessary that New Zealand should assist. It is fully recognised that we arc in this struggle to the last man, should it be necessary to make tho sacrifice; and the effort already put forth by tho Dominion compares very favourably with that of our sister Dominions. But the time appears to have arrived when we must once more readjust our views and ask ourselves whether it is not necessary, not merely as a matter of duty but as a. matter of policy as well, to increase our efforts and that in a marked degree. Tho question for us is not whether we are doing as much as our neighbours in tho Empire, but whether we_ are doing as much as we can, and if not is it •necessary for us to assist in greater measure? Great Britain has now probably two and a half million men under arms, and in addition is maintaining her immense Navy. We are' bearing no naval burdens beyond our annual subsidy and the interest and sinking fund on the pift battleship, and our total war force under arms amounts to some 21,000 men. The supremacy of the British Empire is as vital to ub as it is to Great Britain herself. The war is a long way from being won yet, ana though Germany cannot hope for final victory her policy must be to hold her ground until her opponents are almost as weary as herself and willing to make peace on terms very different from those of which they first talked. The great issue in the war is the contest for supremacy between Britain and Germany, and any settlement • that left' that issue open would be merely a _ postponement of the day of- reckoning with a powerful and unscrupulous foe. We cannot afford a weak settlement. Such a national calamity may yet occur unless the Empire puts its whole force into the struggle before the nations are weary. What can we do, then, more than we are. doing, to hasten forward the day of victory? New Zealand is a little country in a remote corner of the world, hut it has taken the lead in not a few'things in the Empire, and it is for the people to say whether the hour has not come for an effort greater than any which the country has ever before made—an effort which should serve as a stimulus to tho whole Empire. A contemporary has suggested that_ this Dominion should aim at putting a force of fifty thousand men in the field at tho earliest possible date. This would be an impressive demonstration, and coming at the present juncture might be expected to have a far-reaching effect. On a population basis it would work out as follows for the various self-governing portions of the Empire: — Men. United Kingdom 2,750,000 Canada :i75,000 Australia 250,000 South Africa (whiles) 02,000 New Zealand 50,000 Of our fifty thousand wo have already over twenty thousand under arms, and the problem, therefore, will resol vc i into one of equipping, training, and maintaining an additional force of swnelliing less than thirty thousand men. The difficulties ill Die way would !><■ rnnsidcrablc, but that should nnl deter us. The statistics show that we have still remaining in civil life in tilip inn iivnr inn nno men' of militotv. age. Thorn is thus

no shortage of meu. We lack, it is true, experienced men to act as officers and non-commissioned officers, and the arms and accoutrements would also have to be found. The military are the best judges of where these latter nvo to be procured, but it is difficult to believe that they would bo unobtainable in the markets of the world. As for the officering of the force, why should not the men who have been showing their gallantry at the Dardanelles be given their' chance of promotion? The new troops might bo given a few weeks' preliminary training in New Zealand and then be dispatched to ■some suitable spot, say, in Egypt if the season were suitable, one of the Mediterranean islands, or the south of France, there to receive the remainder of their instruction. The hospitals are now full of wounded officers and men who know what tho real thing is, and many hundreds of well-seasoned men qualified to act as instructors would- bo in the convalescent stage, and available to bring the now forces to efficiency in double-quick time.

The plan would have the advantage that the men would be within call if wanted for an emergency, and at a very early stage in their training they should be able to relieve more seasoned forces from garrison duty, and so strengthen tho firing-line at tho front. Under the present system we have at Trentham at this moment in the Fifth Reinforcements, for instance, two thousand well-trained men who are just about eight thousand miles distant from tho spot where their services might be very useful at a pinch. If a hi? force is to go it should go forward without delay, as fast as ships can be got to carry it, to wait in reserve and finish its training at the base. This course would stimulate recruiting, for there can be no doubt that the long stay at Trentham before departure, though eminently necessary under existing conditions, is a deterring influence with many young men. Should -the Government find that such a step, as we have outlined, is practicable, they would, we arc convi need, have the country behind thorn. It would be for the Imperial Government, of course, to accept or decline our offer, but New Zcalandcrs, we think, will not, lightly forgo tho honour of making such an offer. The soil of the Dardanelles has been dyed by the blood of our soldier sons, and what finer stimulus could wc give the war-worn men facing heavy odds in Gnllipoli and the wounded in hospital tnan the knowledge that a force, such as New Zealand had never seen before was to be dispatched to their support 1 !