The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 11. OUR FIGHTING MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 386, 11 May 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 11. OUR FIGHTING MEN.

The Premier's Winton policy speech gave more attention to the question of defence than to any other matter, and it is to he therefore concluded that this question is of more vital importance than anything contained in his remarks. The reason for its predominance is to he found in Lord Kitchener's report, and as no one in New Zealand has any real understanding of the necessities of the case, it followed that .the Field-Marshal's word must become law. The Field-Mar-shal's view was entirely military. His whole outlook is military, and this is natural enough, seeing that he is paid his salary for being the pre-eminent soldier of the Empire. Lord Kitchener's scheme varies in a very slight degree from the scheme formulated by Lieut.Colonel D'Arcy Chaytor, of Marlborough, years ago, hut it is typical of the powers that be in New Zealand that no scheme that has not the hall-mark of "distance" on it can he good. The outstanding feature of the scheme outlined in the Premier's speech (to the exclusion of what was likely to happen during next session of Parliament) is .the promise that New Zealand soldiers will be really forced to take their proper place in the defence of the State. Machinery is being devised, by -which the undisciplined and inadequate person who now consents to wear uniform will be compelled to conform to the regulations made in his behalf. The new defence regulations will, under compulsion, insist that men up to the age of twenty-five shall be almost as constant on the parade ground as on the football field. It will make it possible for as much devotion to be shown to the Union Jack as to the flags on the "line out," and it will collect and classify the magnificent material available. We fear that the general scorn of convention shown by the young New Zealander may influence .the authorities to let him off lightly, and that irate fathers and angry mothers will pack the doormats of Ministers in an endeavor to keep their Jimmies and Toms from catching a cold on the mimic battlefield. There ig always a fear in New Zealand that a section of eight or ten persons will influence the State in its decision to make a "real good job" of the soldiering business. Volunteering in New Zealand has in the past foeen more of a social recreation than a serious desire to achieve real efficiency. The fact that a proportion of New' Zealand volunteers have shown extraordinary keenness in special work does not affect the whole force. The fact that a young New Zealand officer recently took "distinguished" at Hythe (the only one of his session) is the exception and not the rule. General efficiency is of greater value than individual brilliance. We-had an illustration of the haphazard ways of volunteers in <New Plymouth yesterday. Tte occasion was the greatest in the history "of the Empire during the past nine years. The muster was meagre. We say nothing about the soldierly smartness of the parade. The cadets mustered well. Why? Simply because they are under the dir.ect and personal supervision of their officers day by day. Their duty is obvious to them. They have the habit of obedience, and this is the first duty of a soldier. The ordinary New Zealand volunteer has no idea what obedience means. He plays at being obedient. The whole efficiency of the new Territorial force will be in the ibility to make the .soldier obey. On paper the NeAV Zealand defence scheme is excellent, in that it makes a promise to compel men to do their duty. But no compulsory measure can create a national ' feeling. The detail of the scheme so carefully outlined by Lord Kitchener is of no earthly interest if it is not properly worked. The only way the system can be made a success is for the whole people—the nation—to take a greater pride in its Army than in any other colonial institution. A national army is the insurance policy against national death. The nation would shout itself hoarse if its soldiers had anything to fight, but'in peace it regards its Army with amused smiles, much as a little child regards a. rag doll. It does not occur to a country which has nothing at present to fight, except landsharks and big mortgages, that the real intent and purpose of every volunteer is the killing of men. It does not occur to the average person that Corporal Smith and Private Jones are on parade except for the purpose of providing a spectacle. The real purpose comes home to the people when Corporal Smith and Private Jones are served with ball ammunition, and news is received that Corporal Smith has had his head blown off, and Private Jones is in hospital, except for an arm or so. And the only way to make the new and expensive defence system a success is for the whole nation to back it up. The real man loves fighting better than any "sport" he can get, but so many real men regard preparation for effective fighting as waste of time. The best man in any line of life is the man who is so controlled that he can control himself, who is physically active, mentally alert, quick to obey, and who can insist on obedience. We hope much from the national Army in New Zealand. We hope that the absent national spirit will germinate in the poor soil of compulsorv service. With a great and compelling national spirit there would be no need for compulsion. Wc hope, too, that the uselessness will be cut out, that the great rifle meetings for the special delectation of seven hundred crack targetshooters will never again be held, and that men who can't shoot will be taught to do so. The average recruit in a, volunteer corps is "out of it." Get hold i of him, fill him with enthusiasm, give ] him work to do, make him emulative i by making him obey. There is nothing! better in the world than the New Zealand citizen soldier if he is properly ■handled, and the Kitchener scheme gives a chance for handling him. Will he he made useless hy serving as a political puppet, or will he be allowed to become the fighting man he wants to be ?