WAR PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 230, 17 June 1918, Page 6

WAR PROBLEMS

NEED FOR HELPFUL CRITICISM (Contributed.) At tho present time one reads . and lears a lot of criticism of our National Government, and too little is said of tho iifficullies they have had to face, and mvo still got to face. We hear liltlo ir nothing of the good work they havo lone in the face of almost insurmoimt- , ible difficulties, and far too much about .heir mistakes. Helpful and sympathetic criticism does good, but ankgomsio criticism in these times is bad lor ;ho country. With all their faults, our jovcrnment have done really well, consulting tho intricato problems they havo lad to face. Before this war wo were in ultra democratic country without a •eal army, and with practically no mili.ary system at all. As for discipline, .veil, very few of us had any real con;eption of what it meant, and I might almost say that the idea of discipline as ive understood it was abhorrent-to us. Yet no army can bo efficient without prompt and unquestioning obedience. Suddenly the Government had to turn us in to what wo aro now-a military nation, to the extent of calling up every unmarried single man of suitable age from one end of New Zealand to tho other. Training camps had to be iorm?d, officers trained, men tramed-and, in fact, tho Government were suddenly called upon and expected to make into im jrganised army solicitors, doctors, iainiers, and business meu of all sorts, let wo grumble bwause a few mistakes \ era made, especially in matters ot organisation. ' If you suddenly had to put a farmer to. manage a solicitors busing would you expect him to make no m stakes? Is it surprising that a few mi takes were made? Is it not an alsolutely marvellous performance that tneie wore not more? . „ . As regards this- Nations Government, I am proud that I am a New, Zealander for they have done well, and in most instances acted like men mid not politic ians. Ido not myself behove thai thee is any othe- body of men in New Zealand who could do better, and there nio»t certainly is no body of politicians v I o could come near them. To any whoaio duentisned with the present Gove n.nent I BR y this: l?or heaven's sake, Jew,e veil alone till after the war. 1 he> »-> havo made, havo made and do»btless will make, lots of mistakes, but lesje them alone till after the war, for A the very unlikely event of your succeeding in turning them out, then, among po.iticians anvliow, you havo not the slightest chanco of ever seeing a team together who would bo halt as good, or even &'>>' S oo * , a,J all. Criticise, them, but let it be helpful, and not antagonistic and vindictive criticism. . We aro fighting for our very existence now and our Government have now got the West problem to tackle they havo over yet had to face. Wo havo organised our military power, and now t a. the Second Division has got to be called up. another and a far more serious problem has. got to he faced, and cannui He post t ,oned much longer. 1 mean the ganiation of our industrial loras in. wth a manner as to free every man hat can be spared and keep up production at Hi 'tkttSe^itionofthefarmingc^ djoining farms. They have risen in the X, and managed to get enough to marry on and made a, home, lwo ha\o to g and one is left. The two. who have o B o'are told they must put m a manager. The manager may bo -hone*l and competent, and may. not- hey- ha real means of knowing. Iho LDciency Hoards have too much to look a'™ l . t0 bo° much real guide. Is it to^at the man who happens to be left -dioukl h. e his life safe, his .money under Is on care, and remain m comfort on h.own. farm whilst the men who are fighting to him should havo to .break up their homes risk their all in the hands cA a. man t'hev know nothing about, and peiIZ return to find tho stock dsappcared a f th* and their families ruined, w,th Swhap?a le? or an arm gone into the o by or instance commandeering M hr«?arm» and making the man »J»'^ vdllTSle on the indgdn.Mjan. 0 make things not ,f | cuU on ° m CiHuS- which our Government - 0 g Cdreds of farmers' wives and children will bo before tW Government. In at three out of- four cases the woman vfl la" to turn out for the manages who will more often than not be a bachelor in practise. The mamed me who go from the towns won t take_ their rives' with them, so there will be no houses vacant on that aceonnt. E reat difficulties ahead m this matte , enhanced demands and inflated rents m eniiunuu " . , : „ verv serious pronnot to govern hut to assist in the so - on rf "Second Division probes A lb(v reallv representative ot tin. ie.it Their management in w U gain l.v w thdrawing. their ropresentaUve from the Financial Assistance B H r to are -oing to win this war it is Pities 11 • i u. iivinr them timely warning of wo CT P'? l,l l°J,™i K, and on duty bilitv doing that duty really entaib.1 am, etc., CITIZEN.