MEN OR PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3049, 10 April 1917, Page 6

MEN OR PRODUCE

THE FIRST NEED

STATEMENT BX DEFENCE MINISTER

.Discussion has been renewed in relent weeks (with',special reference to the appeal that is being made to farmers to sow, as much, land as possible in wheat this year) of the question as to vhother or not tho Government: is fol- , Mowing the 'best course for the good of , tho limpire in - sending men out of tlio ,; coinitjy to -fight- - when our producing industries are hampered for lack of workers.-^'• There are'critics who. say ■ . ithab. the Defence Department 1 knows niothmg about' anything but the rais- : -ing . of fresh of men,- and that, the Government, forgetful of all other $ tonsideratioiisj is accepting the advice ,'of ■ the military on this matter. c This

question was brought before Sir James ' Allen by .a-', Dominion reporter yesterday.- . ;■

"I. want to _say—and lam speaking ■ aftor very deliberate consideration and' . withinformation— that .' tho most urgent claim on New' Zealand at the present timo is that reinforcements be > kepi ..up," . said the Minister.'". - "It. is ' evident to aiiy thinking man that it is i<> tlio advantage of the Mother C-oun- . try and her Allies thai; they should , exert ns much pressure on' the enemy ■ . as they can during", this, summer in order to bring the war to a climax this year. And from the point of view of • ourselves and oiir'Allies it will be our _ most economical plan with regard to food supplies,, men,- and money'to endeavour to'flnish the war if we can this summer:' ;If we have to drag on with the war into another:, year, the cost will be heavier upon us in both men 'and money. We must not slacken in our efforts; Next-to the need for men

•: to keep -up our reinforcements—and we " are not asking for more than the usual " drafts^—comes 'the heed for keeping up our exports of food supplies for the : use of the armies and of the people in .• ; -.the Homeland* But this need is second- ' 'to the need for'men to fill our reinforcement drafts. Even for those en- , gaged in the producing industries it ' will be good policy *to try to finish the ■ war this year." . ■