WAR HERO'S MAIDEN SPEECH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 5 June 1918, Page 6

WAR HERO'S MAIDEN SPEECH

IN COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENT.

New interest in'vthe debate in the Fed- ■ eral House of Representatives was aroused (saj's tho "Ausiraiusian") when Captain Druce, M.C., the new member ior .Minders, rose to make bis maiden speech. The speech was brief, clear, and to the point, and made a most lavourablo impression on the House. Captain Bruce said that he would not bave spoken had it not been that he had had a little more experience than most members of the enlistment' of minors. "I hold, very definite views about the enlistment of boys under 21," continued Captain Bruce, speaking in a quiet, restrainwith none of the ranting or tricks of the "old hand." "I have seen the effect on boys under 21 and men over 40 when they get into tho firing line. I say without hesitation that it is a verygreat mistake to 6end I>hem there if there is any possible way of avoiding it. There are men of proper military age to go instead of these boys, and we should get them. Another great objection is that ii we send boys our troops will not be properly. reinforced. They will be reinforced by men who represent in exceotional cases only tho same standard as the men who made the great name of the Anzacs. And if they are not properly reinforced we may live in an atmosphere of false security because we .have got so many men, while they are the wrong type of men." (Hear, hear.) Continuing, Captain Bruce said that it had been stated that the "boom" in the recruiting figures was due to the enlistment of boys.-This had been denied, but 'whether it was so | at present or not there was a danger that it might happen. (Hear, hear.) j We had to fight against that danger. As long as men of a suitable military age were left in the country it would be a great mistake, according to his experience—and ho believed that this was the view of other men who had been at the front—to send those who wero not of the right age.