“NOT MILITARISM”

Shannon News, 9 February 1926, Page 2

“NOT MILITARISM”

BUT COMMON SENSE. ‘‘Probably no man in Australia is held.in mote regard. He participated in the Great War from beginning to end,” said Mord Mayor (Aid. Stokes), at a civic tarwell in Sydney, to MajorGeneral .Brand,, who is leaving for a.eiijourne lo become second-in-com-mand or Australia’s army. “What New couth Wales will lose Victoria will gain,” the Bord Mayor went on. ‘•Australia nas no better friend anywhere than General Brand,” said Mr. vjanu (Minister for Health and Government), who represented the 'estate Ministry. "He has a friend in every member of the New South warns Ministry.” Captain Massey (H.M.A.S. Adelaide) tbaiuced the Bord Mayor for enabling uie navy to be associated with the .arcwell to General Brand. “It has btien my object," said General Braiio, in responding, “to bring the citizens in closer touch with Aus-a-alia’s future defence, and I tnink I nave had some measure of success. No citizen army—that that is the only army Australia has apart from a handful of permanent men—can be eilicient if the citizens are apathetic, No General, no matter how high his rank, can gain and maintain the esteem and iespec£ of the Australian, youth if he adopts a high-handed or Mand-off attitude. .The Australian ,'outh requires altogether different aamiling- from the young, fellow of >tner lands. His temperament .and Ms environment are altogether different, and. B can say that the Austra.ian youth is just as keen on getting .nto the front line of Australia’s deem ce asj ever he was.” "There is no militarism in a desire to preserve intact the high standard of living which obtains in. this young country. It is not militarism, but common sense, n a young country,, ■which has set up certain high ideals, “The old I.F.A. uniform which the lads were proud to wear, is a leavener of all classes and creeds.” Major-General Brand, in concluding said that his new duties would, necessitate his travelling all over Australia, and he hoped from time to> time to renew his acquaintance witls Ms Sydney friends.