COMPULSION IN WAR EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 12

COMPULSION IN WAR EFFORT

R.S.A. Resolution UNIVERSAL SERVICE TO NATION Compulsory universal national service was urged by the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association yesterday. 'Fhc president. Mr. Perry, M.L.C., said that the voluntary system had failed, and that every man. woman and child should help to win the war.

The resolution, which had been drafted by a committee that had before it nine remits on the subject from branches, was as follows: — “That the Dominion council of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association expresses its appreciation of the action of His Majesty's Government in New Zealand in bringing this Dominion promptly into tlie war, in mobilizing Hie fighting services, and in its efforts to recruit men for service overseas, and desires to reiterate its offer of full support to the Government at all times as long as the .struggle continues. This council, however, is emphatically of opinion tiiat in order to obtain a maximum effort and an earlier end to the present hostilities it is imperative to demand equality of sacrifice from all. and these objects can only be attained by a national register and the introduction of compulsory universal national service.”

Mr. D. W. Russell (Canterbury), who presented the motion, said Hie association had offered its services to the Government on the outbreak of war and subsequent events showed that headquarters of tlie association had the confidence of the Government. Pill for Government. .Mr. A. 11. Miklou (Auckland) seconded the motion. The Government would have a bitter pill to swallow if it. introduced conscription, but it was necessary to provide the maximum effort. he said. The Government would probably be glad of the opinion of returned soldiers. The president said it was the duty and right of the association to give a lend. For years the association had urged more defensive measures in New Zealand and in the Empire, and last vear a motion urging universal national military service had been carried. The Empire was at a crisis. Germany bad prepared six years for the war, not only by training an army but also by mobilizing tlie nation into a powerful machine of war, and if tlie Empire did not do the same immediately there was very real danger that its next generation would be hewers of wood and drawers of water for a foreign foe. Returned soldiers believed that every man, woman and child in New Zealand should do everything possible to help to win the war. He had never believed in the principle of voluntaryism. The small response to the appeal for patriotic funds showed that tlie voluntary system had failed. “On your behalf,” the president said, “I Implore the Government to abandon the voluntary system and adopt national military service. After till, Britain took conscription in her stride. We have more to lose than Britain, so let us go further and give a lead to. the Empire by adopting universal service.” Elaborating his statement that New Zealand had more to lose than Britain, Mr. Perry said that, if Germany won the war Britain and France would remain but Now Zealand would become a German colony. A large number of delegates spoke in support of the motion.