The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1912. THE TYRANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 258, 1 May 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1912. THE TYRANTS.

It is rather novel to find a successful and unquestionably peaceful Hebrew commercial inan as the right-hand man of the Prime Minister, and who is at the same time Minister of Defence. Early in his career tlie Hon. A. M. Myers has been called upon to meet the objections of the "anti-defenders." No fault can be found with the Society of Friends for their objection to combat, although no Quaker within our knowledge would "turn the other cheek" without retalia- . tion for insult and' injury. • Unfortunaely in New Zealand there is a disposition to make most questions political, and to make or mar politicians for their adherence to or objection to semi-popu-lar notions." ' Mr. Myers, the new Minister of Defence, cannot help adhering to the law which lie has been called upon to administer, and yet a large number of faddists are quite willing to politically slay this new Minister for doing bis duty. The anti-militarists' point, as expounded to tlie-Minister, is that to do the country's duty is weakness. In no other country could it happen that a deputation of citizens would wait on a Minister asking him, in effect, to destroy his own Department. Mr. Myers' protestations that lie will be no party to breaking the law are, of course, unnecessary. A Minister who defied his own law would indeed be a novelty. The anti-militar-ist exclaims that if the Defence Department does its duty, the Government will have to build more prisons—presumably for the safety of the anti-defenders. If anti-defenders were all in gaol when it was necessary to defend the country, would they ask to be released in order to defend their own property? One of the facts that damns the anti-defender is that by his refusal he delegates the duty of his protection, the protection of his kind and his female relatives to some other man. The well - paid worker tells the Minister of Defence that what he (the worker) has is not worth defending. Therefore, he won't defend the country. This sort of talk is mere froth, and Mr. Myers said to the deputation: "I feel convinced that if an enemy were to land in New Zealand there not be a single shirker amongst you." The anti-defender wishes it to be understood that he would shirk, that he would be a coward, that he would fold his arms and let some other man do double duty in order to protect a worthless citizen. One of the deputation asked the Minister if he would amend the Defence Act in order to prevent the force being used in the event of industrial disputes. The New Zealand industrial disputer is not a fighting man. except with his tongue. It will never be necessary to call soldiers to quell him. He lias nothing to shed blood about, for he has things largely his own way without straining himself. Besides, a great and general industrial dispute would probably include tlu; bulk of the Territorial force. One can't imagine Jones, of the Taranaki Regiment, who is out on strike from a bacon factory, firing on Brown, who is

not a Territorial, but who is a bacon factory hand. There might be (but it is not in the least likely) occasions when industrial disputants would become so unruly that the civil police would be unable to cope with them. In such a case there would be no alternative but lo use the citizens who are in so many eases Territorials. The repetition of the -word "tyranny" in relation to the Act is supremely absurd. It is about i?ts tyrannous as is the payment of dues on an insurance policy. It is the antidefenders who seek to use tyrannical methods by making it impossible to effect national life insurance. Every loyal young man who has become a Territorial is an advertisement for its benefits. He himself has every right to regard with scorn the alleged man who insists that enforced self-help in time of trouble is national tyranny. Every objection to defence would disappear the moment real defence was needed, and the wordy warriors who chase Ministers urging them | to countenance a breach of the law would be of no earthly consequence when the | occasion arose.