A CITIZEN ARMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1921, Page 6

A CITIZEN ARMY.

THE NEED FOR TRAINING. OPINIONS OF RETURNED SOLDIERS. It was not inappropriate that the question of military training should be one of the topics of discussion at the annual re-union of returned soldiers, which was held under the direction of the New Plymouth R.S.A. on Saturday night. The consensus of opinion was that there was still, need for armament, and occasion was taken to aek returned men to use their influence to help along Territorial training. Replying to the toast of the. “Navy and Army,” Brigadier-General Meldrum said, that now the. war was over they were apt to think they could refit on their oars and neud not snake any further effort, as there would be no necessity for it. “But,” said the speaker, “we would be living in a fool’s paradise if we took that as the true portion. As

'ong as the ambitions of men clash, and the ambitiond of nations clash, so long will there be war in the world. Their whole history ik a series of fighting either for supremacy or existence, and the. British nation is not going to escape that. Jf we are going to be tlie dominant nation and hold our own we have got to be ready to fight when the time comes next. The navy is the most important in an Empire ’such as the British, scat£ered over the four corners of the earth, and it is perhaps more important that we should have a strong navy rather than a strong army. Although talk is going on about disarmament, and coming to an agreement with other nations to reduce armaments, that will not last long. Nations are growing all the time—some stronger than others—and looking for supremacy, and the only way nations can take t'ho lead is by fighting for it. Wo have got, to bear our burdens to see that when the moment comes—•whether in our time or in our sons’ lives—the British nation is going to hold, its own, no matter who assails it. That has to bo done by keeping up a 6 strong a navy as we possibly can, and a strong army. Wo are going through hard times now but we must not let that carry us too far in letting things slide.”

During the evening other speakers also touched on this topic, and their remarks showed that the brigadier-general had very correctly guaged the feeling of this gathering of soldiers.

j Colonel C. H. Weston said he thought | that Brigadier-General Meldrum took a j very cbmmonsense view of the question !of defence. In his opinion a great deal iof the present talk was very imprae- ■ tieable. Nations might talk of comi ing together, and being very good i friends, but it seemed in all cases that ‘ if anyone was going to be “top dog” I they had to fight for it. Colonel Wes- ' ton mentioned that in connection with j the Territorial training in New Plymouth N.C.O.'s were needed for A Company, and he appealed to any one present who had the time, to go along and help in this work.

Mr. D. Evans (South African veterans) eaid they all ought to be soldiers willing to protect their home land though not in the sense of the German military caste. The spirit ought to be mantained and it was the only way in which they could uphold the Empire. Reference to the present Territorial work was made later by General Mel-, drum, who emphasised the importance of thorough training. An appeal for N.C.O.’s was also made by Lieut. A. Smith, O.C. A Company. He asked that those men who had gained, knowledge of the various branches of warfare in the late war should come forward and assist the present training.

The president of the R.S.A. (Mr. A. M. Mac Diarmid) believed that the matter of iraining for the future was one to be regarded seriously, as the time must come when a war vyould happen along again. Those N.C.O.’s who were in a position to assist the local Territorial training should give their aid. The membership of the R.S.A. wa« about 35,000 now, and if the various branches interested themselves in this question in the respective districts a big impetus would be given to Territorial training.