“WENT” OK “SENT.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1629, 26 October 1916, Page 2

“WENT” OK “SENT.”

\ KJiV few -u-iII disagree with -Mi’ Alassey in !lu> opinion that it would lio “a inn!lor of tho doopost satisfaction if llit' future historian could record ilial .Vow Zealand maintained voluntaryism throughout this groat si niggle.'' The difficulty, according to iho Auckland Herald, is that our 70,000 volunteer soldiers have so depleted the population of those single men who need no compulsion to do their duty that whatever our prefereneo for volunteering the state must enforce compnH sion in order to keep the reinforcements full. In New Zealand, us in the failed Kingdom, men who as-

sumed family responsibilities he! ore the war, and who arc rearing the rising generation for the service oi the si ale, may fairly demand that single nun should not he allowed to .-■hirk at tin* expense ol tin* laaiil.t man. Much as any necessity tor compulsion is to he regretted it is heller to deal (irmly with (he shirker than to impose unduly upon Ihe willing. At the same time, it is much to he desired that men should go frcelv and without lining forced, I lial I here should he eagerness at the recruiting stations rather Ilian at Ihe military service courts, '('here arc still many thousands ol eligible; men in Ihe first Division; it any great proportion of these would rather he among the ‘‘wcnls than the “scnls” il is still possible for New Zealand to light through the war with volunteers. In any case (lie i.'Tcalcr tin 1 proportion of vohmfccrs in ;iii v rein forccmcnt the more worthy il will lie to lake its place in the famous division, of which the Alain Body sailed over two years ago aml which has yel not ono pressed man in its rank's.