BRITISH ARMY TOO SMALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1925, Page 4

BRITISH ARMY TOO SMALL.

WARNING FROM. EARL HAIG. Field-Marshal Earl Haig, presented at Bath, recently -with the Freedom of the City, uttered two important warnings:— Wo have too small an army. We have by lack of vision gone far lo discourage the best elements among us and to give opportunities to detractors at home and abroad to stimulate sedition overseas and discord in our midst.

The welcome he had been given, said Lord Haig, had demonstrated that the old days were not forgotten, and that the glorious achievements of the British Army still wokc'feelings of pride and gratitude. A great part of our war Army today was represented 'by men workless and broken by peace, whom war could neither break nor bend. r lhat was a hard thing to say.

He did not wish to forget either the measure of provision which had been made for ex-Scrvice men and their dependants by successive Governments nor yet the generous and patriotic action of private firms. But the hard fact remained that in the ranks of the great army of unemployed which was so serious a feature of our industrial life to-day were to be found 'a wholly disproportionate number of men who served their country so loyally and so well in the Great War. " It is to my mind significant,” said Earl Haig, “that with the break up of the old Army of the war, and the failure to make national provison for the men thereby set free for civil employment the evil forces which to-day aim frankly and avowedly at the breakdown of law and order and the disruption of the Constitution and the destruction of the Empire itself first began to raise their beads.

DISTRUST AND DISCONTENT. “ But the inlluonce for good which the Army spirit of comradeship might have had upon the spirit of the nation as a whole, had it been fostered and encouraged when the war ended, was from the tirst largely neglected 01 misunderstood. To-day misery and wretchedness, which spring from, years of unemployment, have gone far to destroy its power and to turn many men who fought honourably and bravely for their King and country into potential agents of discontent.

“ That the spirit of the old ( Army still lives with its influence for good is due to the efforts of sound-minded, open-hearted, patriotic men up and down the country, who, by hard work, and assisted by their own and other people’s generosity, have kepi ffuioh with their old comrades.”

| Earl Haig a open led lor help tor the British Legion to keep their old spirit alive and to Combat the feelings wf distrust and discontent which had tlieii origin in natonal indifference, ingratitude. and neglect. He asked ox-offi-cers to get in touch with their old comrades. !- "I appeal to my countrymen today,” he continued, “ not to leave them workless and disillusioned, to become the tools of misguided or unscrupulous men who are working for the violent overthrow of Empire which the young manhood of this country saved by their self-sacrifice. Help the cx-Servicc men, amj, they once more will help you. Give them back their faith. Show them that after all tlieii sacrifices were not in vain.” --

We had by lack of vision gone far to discourage the best elements among us and to give opportunities to our detractors at home and abroad to stimulate sedition overseas and discord in our midst. AVe had acted as though the moment of victory had found us doubtful of our cause and fearful of our destiny. “Are we to say that our work for civilisation is done, that the will to strike has gone from ns. and that the heart of the nation is already cankered:-' I do not believe it. I cannot believe ft. f cannot believe it while the memory ol the war remains fo me and the knowledge that my old war comrades are still among us asking only for a friendly hand.” '’CheersA TO-DAY’.S ARMY.

Karl ITait', speaking subsequently at a luucheou', said he had heeu asked how tlie present lads who were engaged in the Army manoeuvres compared with tile gallant fellows he had the privilege of commanding in France. ”1 Mini there are splendid young fellows joining the Army now.” he replied,

"and that the actual instrument for war that I saw operating in the country round Andover compares most favourably with the instrument we had in the past. Indeed, in many respects, it is superior. There are many more mechanical appliances than we had, and they are learning to use them, and to use them, 1 believe, very well indeed. (

"I have admired the spirit of the moil during these wet days, and they have boon very wet days, and I am sure if necessity over arose' they would carry us through to victory again.

"The only thing there is not enough of them. 1 hope the necessity will never arise, hut when one looks at the smallness of our Army to-day—the paucity of the guns, the reduction in the number of infantry and cavalry regiments, in fact, the reductions all round—one cannot help hoping that we are nut buying relief from taxation too dearly.

"I do not think a few more pennies spent on the Army would a Meet us very much. It might in years to come make a very great difference to tile comfort and peace of mind of succeeding generations.

“fin when n. leading j'ononil asks for my opiniun, f say wo have got too small an army, hut what we have is very good, and 1 have confidence in the higher leaders. It is up to our statesmen to provide them with the means.”