The Daily News. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1017. ARMING THE MERCHANT MARINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1017. ARMING THE MERCHANT MARINE.

It) has been the fashion to describe a3 Empire builders certain of the leading Imperialist statesmen, and others who have takun part in the expansion of British influence overseas. But of what avail would all the efforts of such men have been without the one link that made the Empire what it is—the mercantile marine? Britain has fought for most of 'her possessions, while others have been acquired by peaceful methods, and though the Navy and the Army have both done their share in the work of Empire building, that work would have Deen vain and profitless hut for the consolidating and encircling power of the men who traverse the sea in ships of commerce bringing the most distant parts of the Empire into close touch with the Motherland. It is not surprising to find Aclmiral Sir John Jellicoe bestowing the highest praise on the men of the mercantile marine, the life and soul of the. Empire. The Huns in their super-hatred and malevolence are conducting a ferocious campaign of destruction against these commerce and passenger transporters with the foolish idea that England can Be 'starved by the sinking of a number of merchantmen, forgetting that the British sailor knows 110 fear, for he faces danger and deatli every day of his life on the ocean. At the same time, if it is a case of fighting the merchantman sailor objects to the weapons being all against him. 'He justly feels that he should be given a chance to strike the pirate who attacks his ship, and in that view the Empire concurs. Methods of warfare have changed completely since the Germans developed their frightful tactics during the present war, hence the imperative necessity for adapting the mercantile marine to the new conditions, however much we may dislike the process. The Trouble has been hitherto the lack of suitable guns and trained gunners, but according to experts one gun on a ship is capable of doing effective service if more are not available. It has been clearly demonstrated that the arming of merchantmen is an effective remedy against submarining, so t'nat the duty of the Imperial Government is obvious, for the more submarines that are destroyed the fewer will be the ships that are sent to the bottom of the sea •with all their contents. The acutencss of the food problem justifies exceptional measures for ensuring transport of supplies, and it is to the undying glory ot our seamen that in time of unrestricted piracy and destruction by a relentless, desperate and bloodthirsty enemy they have not hesitated for a moment in manning the imarmored and defenceless vessels that constiitute the arteries of the Empire. No doubt the Germans considered that our seamen were as "contemptible" as our soldiers, and could be frightened into deserting their ships, bub the Teutons have found that the men of the British mercantile marine are as solid and intrepid as our boys in blue. For the sake of these brave seamen, and for the sake of the millions dependent on their services, they should be given a chance ,of hitting back, or, rather, of getting in. the first blow at any enemy craft which is bent on the destruction of our merchant ships, and all neutrals should co-operate in this policy, for they are feeling very bitterly the ruthless. campaign of destruction land its consequent restriction of sup■W Tliis 3s no time fir maintaining

old prejudices; rather is it a matter of imperative necessity that the Imperial Go verm nmit should make a special effort to adequately arm all merchantmen, not only to give them a fair chance of escaping destruction, but with a view to shortening the war and keeping up the food supplies so necessary to the welfare of the people.

THE TERRITORIAL CAMPS. A recent cable from London conveys the gratifying news that war worries have not resulted in an increase of insanity, partly due to Wie fact that the people are better fed, earn better wages, and probably indulge in cheerful recreation instead of morose isolation. It must be. remembered, however, that in Britain an intelligent effort is being made to introduce system into all the activities of national life, also to avoid anomalies, and it may be said that the Motherland has now got into her stride, lb would bo an interesting exercise for men of leisure and brain power to speeu. late on what, the ancient Greelc philosophers and wise men of the East would have been moved to exclaim had they been asked to reconcile the precepts of the New Zealand Government with the practice of the Ministry during this war period. Take, for instance, the question of economy. In season and out tho Dominion Ministers have waxed eloquent on this theme. They have virtually stopped public worts expenditure, they are starving the educational system and postponing consideration of all demands for urgent needs until after the war. They have persistently preached economy, but resolutely failed to act an example, or even to the pruning knife where it is badly needed. It seems contrary to all common sense at such a time a3 the present to hold Territorial camps, which entail a considerable expenditure and an undue amount of inconvenience to employers and employees. In the first place, the cost is certainly not justified, and in the second plact> the Territorials could be far better employed on other work. The National Government seems quite incapable of realising that the various business activities of the Dominion have already the greatest difficulty to keep going owing to the continual drain on the man-power of the country for war purposes. If our Ministers could only open their eyes so as to see beyond the narrow confines of officialdom they would possibly discover that, in view of the great shortage of hands available for commercial, industrial and agricultural purposes, the dislocation of business should not be aggravated by a further and quite preventable raid on the short supplies of human help, by sending Territorials into camp a waste of money, a waste of resources, and a source of irritation. In normal timc3 these camps served an excellent purpose. Wc have nothing to vay against their utility, but to hold them now serves no good purpose be. yond carrying out regulations that should have been suspended during war time. It is matter for surprise that so little attention lias been given by the New Zealand Ministry to the question of adapting normal circumstances to the exceptional demands consequent on the war. Not the slightest consideration ' has been or is being given to the straits in which employers arc placed by the -withdrawal of so many thousand men. The Government service is kept up to ] strength and Ministers find theii departments adequately staffed, so that | they fail to see that others suffer. There are many ways in which the Government could have helped industrial and commercial activities, hut there has been an absence of initiative to meefc the emergency, and an inability to arrive a.t helpful decisions. We have Badly needed men of the Mr. Lloyd George and Sir E. Carson type to discard non-essentials and concentrate on essentials. Even at this late period thero is still time to suspend many of the regulations that arc in force and to make some effort towards eliminating unnecessary expenditure, as well aa enabling the activities of tho country to suffer as little as possible. To hold Territorial camps now shows that the motto of "business as usual" is a fixed institution, the only merit of which is that it does away with the necessity for taking thought. Possibly that may bo a blessing worth all tho additional sacrifices entailed in carrying out Territorial camps. What is i one sacrifice more or less amongst so many? We have 110 Greek philosopher to fnaKe these things plain, but we are gradually acquiring a new philosophy ' that will perhaps rival the old.