The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st, 1916. MILITARY SERVICE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 1 September 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER Ist, 1916. MILITARY SERVICE.

(With which is incorporated The Tai bapo Post and Waimarino News.)

should be made to realise that they •have responsibilities as citizens of a great nation. Their freedom is challenged; their property is attacked; their very lives are threatened and yet they indifferently, callously or cowardly continue to live on in luxury, massing money on the war that is taking their erstwhile friends and mates and furnishing them with graves in a : foreign land. The defence of his country against a would-be invader is every patriot's duty as long as he has the strength to resist the foe. It is marvellous how half a dozen young fellows can go on talking about their mates, those who only a few months ago were their bosom friends but who are new lying silent under a forI eign turf, being sent there by a GerI man shell, bullet or bayonet, how they ' can go on discussing their death and | memories and not be fired with resentI ment and anger at the causer of their professed trouble. Surely nothing but rank cowardice can account for such astonishing behaviour. However, th?t aspect need no longer be discussed; every able man must see that he is enrolled or for ever bear brand or a coward or a traitor. It is believed by the Allied military authorities th'it the greater the number of men they can now put into the field the less will oe the number of casualties To make it definite let us sa/, for ev°.ry addithnal ten men there will be one less killed than is being killed in the proportion of forces employed. While it may be of vital importance to keep a knowledge of the strength of our armies from the enemy at present, it may prove just the opposite so soon as we can show an overwhelmingly superior strength. Germany will wantonly sacri fic«. life so long as any military ad vantage is possible, hovyver snia'-, but when military disadvantage and certain defeat of their military ,naebine is obvious she will pursue snowier course. The military machine is the first consideration with Germany, and we have to demonstrate to her that the Allies possess a force iliat is infinitely superior. It is military machine against military machine, and when Germany finds that hers is thrown hopelessly into inferiority, then only will there be any prospect of peace. This being so, more men are essential, and it. is this knowledge that made the Military Service Act indispensable. The men must be forthcoming, and no risks could be taken about getting them. Realising this, tire chosen of the people in Parliament almost unanimously passed the law, the operations of which are now being; sot in motion, calling upon men to do their duty in a manly and British fashion. It is hoped 'for the credit of this district, no shirkers will be discovered Jiere.

In discussing peace, it seems that a general cour.se to be followed is one that while fairly depicting things as they are, optimism and pessimism should be carefully shunned, and avoid ed. The faith of Britishers in their country is proverbial; without preparation they display that belief in themselves that gives a Reeling' of security against any who may assail them. An awakening has now come, and the dis turber of the world's peace has to be crushed for all time, or a military and naval system hitherto unprecendented has to be maintained, unless, of course the great peoples come to some arrangement by which wars can be rendered unnecessary, and such a force only is maintained as would be required for policing purposes. Peace at this moment is almost within the range of vision, and it is not improbable that armies may not have to spend another winter in the trenches. Latest eventualities are calculated to exercise a wonderful, a transforming influence on general war conditions. It is considered that Bulgaria cannot continue fighting] without risking national extermination. Knowing this, Roumania has demanded that Bulgaria immediately evacuate Servia and at once re-establish frontiers in accordance with the Bucharest Treaty, an arrangement come to after the Balkan War. Roumania is not displaying any stupid ostentation; she has handed this ultimatum to Bulgaria with a full belief that Bulgaria will respond. In any case, supplies for Turkey and Bulgaria will soon be cut off rendering the fall of those two Powers absolutely certain. It is indeed difficult to believe that Austria and Hungary can continue the struggle for very many weeks. The indications are that Greek and Bulgar bayonets will be pointer in quite an opposite direction, in line with and on the side of the Allies. Hungary may also fall into line; Austria may not, but her armies will be worse than helpless in stemming tho rush that has commenced across Hungary. Germany dinned into the ears of the world that a according to the map would only be acceptable, but if she ■ waits long enough she will be ready to abandon that view just as she has been compelled to abandon others. In a little while the map ol Europe will be so changed that Germany will be struck -with fear every time it is looked at Sensational developments are daily expected that will bring peace within the realms oZ practicability. We mean that new

, # . Commencing from to-day the people of New Zealand are to be educated by every convenient and effective form of publicity that the Military Service Act, providing for the conscripting of men for the Avar, passed in the last session of Parliament, is in force, and that every man between the ages of twenty and forty-six must see that his name is registered before the sixteenth of this monto. So much has been written and said about the Act and regulations made thereunder that it is probable everyone is now conversant with its vital provisions. There are to. be no more shirkers; if a man does not register by the date fixed by regulation he may be arrested and put into camp straightway, tried, and punished for his disregard of the law. Whereas those who register are taken by lot and according to circumstances. This country has undertaken to furnish so many soldiers to the Empire's arm;-, and it would be to its eternal discredit if it failed iri its engagements. Up to the present voluntary enlistment has furnished the New Zeazealand quota and more, but the war has arrived at a stage when overwhelming numbers are essential to a speedy ending. It has also, we regret to say, become advisable that some

bases will be discovered whereon final J

peace discussions may be bujii up. In the meantime we must continue to marshal our strength by seo.d'"g all the men available as th i * can bo equipped.