MORE MEN WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1915, Page 2

MORE MEN WANTED.

A WORD TO SHIRKERS. AN EMPHATIC APPEAL. (From Our Own C'orrcpondent.) Wellington, Oct. 29. "It is the duty of politicians to talk in optimistic tones about the war," said Captain Donald Simson, at the associated sports clubs' social in the concert chamber of the Town Hall. "I am not a politician, and t am not addressing my remarks to the slacker and the shirker, to the man who should come forward and is not coming forward. I have travelled over a large part of New Zealand lately, and I have met many ablebodied young men who have not yet offered their services. T have heard their excuses, which do not amount to reasons, Ignorance and indifference seem to be at the root of the trouble—ignorance of the seriousness of the war and indifference because they have been told that we are sure to win this war. Their excuses concern their own personal affairs and inclinations. They have no excuses from an Empire point of view or from a New Zealand point of view.

"Tho longer yon delay coining forward the longer the war will last. We cannot gain a victory without men, trained men, lots of men. Will the New Zea-i landers and the Australians abandon Gallipoli now? Will they leave sacred soil to be ploughed up by the Germans and the Turks, the soil which covers the bodies of thousands of our bravest men? Will they say that the blood shed there has been shed in vain? You reply, 'No,' but I tell you that the one thing that could force us to leave Gallipoli would be the failure of recruiting. Can we win this war? You say 'Yeß.' We can only win it with men, ipore men, fighting men. Your Christmas gifts for the troops and your expressions of patriotism are all very well, but they won't push the Turks off Gallipoli and they won't beat the Germans. That is work for men, trained and armed.

. "I don't quarrel with your games. The man who plays games is keeping fit and I hope he will come into the ranks when he is called. But what about the fellows who do not play games, but who turn out to watch other men play? I quarrel with those who provide Saturday entertainments for shirkers. And I say to you players, put the football aside for a bit and try a rush against the Turks with the bayonet. They want men for that work in Gallipoli. Give the cricket ball a rest and learn to throw the bomb. Lay up the tennis racquet and learn to swing a pick and shdvel, for this is an engineers' war. Put yourselves into condition. Join our route marches and get over the sore heel, cold-in-the-head stage in readiness for the time when the Defence Department can take you into camp. My advice is intended particularly for the single, able-bodied man viko is a ■ shirker."