MILITARISM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 279, 21 August 1919, Page 6

MILITARISM

Sir,—lt is tho old story. Wait till a word has gathered round it a mass of opprobrium and justifiable hatred, then apply it to something else you don't like, and the now object inherits with the name tho antipathies aroused against the old. Militarism was originally applied to government by, or the excessive influence ■ of, « military caste, who do-

sired war as a means of aggrandisement and an opportunity for promotion, who loved fighting for its own sake, who regarded telle enslavement of other natious as the natural aim of their own. Tito army of Germany was deliberately trained for the purposo of destroying Germany's neighbours, to establish Germany as the dominant power in the world, and gather in tho harvest of other nations' riches to swell tho coders of German swashbucklers.

The presbyteries in various parts of New Zealand have been considering the proposed amendments in our New Zealand. Defence training i-chcme. They have branded it as "militarism," and are raising a storm of protests against it from end lo end of the country. Poopie must be exceedingly blind 'if they cannot see that the League of Nations, excellent as its objects are, will lie absolutely powerless lo keep tho peace of tho world unless il has a force behind it. That some of Iho largest nations in tho world are standing out and will be able to make military preparations without restriction that those nations which are not prepaml will be engulfed in the avalancho of war, which may fall upon us at any time before the League of Nations lias time to meet, discuss, advise, restrain and move. New Zealand needs lo be adequately prepared for defence unless we are prepared to meekly hand over our homes and our liberty to the first enemy who will lake us by surprise.

Whether sufficient: training can bo given our manhood by tho present silly system is a matter for the military authorities lo discuss and decide. Those of us who have an inside experience of it know that for tho most part it is a mere farcical, waste of time. The young men in tho country districts are not trained at all. In _ the small towns there are no buildings large enough for night drilling purpose*, anl daylignt parades are necessarily few, the numbers able to attend small, and tho military equipment hopelessly insuffi-cir-nt. Some success may be attained in the large toinis, but even there the accommodation is proportionately no better U:<vn in the villages. A week's camp once a year is almost equally useless. Nothing short of four months' continuous training is of any value at all. Tha Department promise that this training shall take place" when the youth is !8; tho camps will be held continuously, and only a small proportion of the youths of tho Dominion will be training at tho same time. The scheme provides for tho least possible dislocation of business, and tho greatest possible efficiency; il provides a less exnensivo system than tha present. If the religious bodies cannot attend to tho spiritual and moral welfare of their young luen in camp, they cannot <lo it anywhere. The Defence Department are as anxious us they are to develop a, good moral tone among our voung men, and they ore prepared to grant adequate facilities for the work of our chaplains. What more do we want? —I am, etc., PARSON AND 0.0. COMPANY.

Sir,—ln your issue of August 19 there is a letter with the strange title "Nonconformist Ministers and Defence." Now, Sir, it ought to bo known in New Zealand by this time, that we have no State, ChurgTi, therefore we cannot havo nonconformity. Perhaps the writer means non-Anglican. Mr. Sievwri?ht savs chaplains were called "duds." That is absurd nonsense. Have we forgotten tho heroism of Chaplain Grant, who gave his life ou Gallipoli? Three other Presbyterian ministers have won the Military Cross. Our Presbvteriau troops from Scotland made good soldiers. Tho Church which is called Presbyterian has nothing to be asljpmed

Labour and the Christian Church are awaking to the fact that it is quite possible the rod with which we smote Germany may become too heavy for our own br.cks. . , The Presbyterian Church is not against th" training of youths, but against the suggested system of taking mere boys into camp for a : period of fouir months.— I om, etc., RETURNET) SOLDIER, '