THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1911. ANTI-MILITARISM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10476, 13 November 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1911. ANTI-MILITARISM.

There is a. small, but well-meaning section of the cofmrnauiity which, is of opinion that militarism in any form is. opposed to .tihe best inter of ffchte masses. TRuere i,s fi still larger section, which believes that anything savouring of conscription, is opposed ito the tradition's of the British trtiee. 'llhe fkxnflar are largely composed of Sbcia.Ms.ts, wlblo are influenced by a prejudice against the capital I stic system), and uiho believe t!hiat wars are (promoted (for the one and only c hjiect of bringing sJh'ekel's to the pockets of the "fat man." These people Ifbrget that one of the chief objects of militarism is to- avoid tQie tof war, wSbicih infliciE greater luardIsQvips upon tfcliie liaiboTirer and the imassies generality than upon, other ■seotaoiLS of the community.' They ais ; o ftargiet that any hostility whiicth; menaces the- trade routes and disorganises commerce res«ults in iiainme and unemployment, lit is tine that, rif all nations were to disarm, and international disputes were settled l)y arbitration, the world would he better ofl\ But, until the- day arrives wffien snvordis are converted into ploiuglihsttilares, every nation • which wishes to live in amity and retain its prestige, nmist be prepared for it'iiir. It is an old axiom- that the pjre-utest security of peace is preparedness for wiar; and the truth of this saying ha.s I>eeji frequently demonstrated in the Nation of Avibich iN-ew Zealand has the honour + o form a unit. Accepting this as.« truism, it is a duty devolving upon, to-very Britisher to accept bis shhreiiu the defence of the Empire, which involves the defence of tine hearth amd liiomle of the worker as .much as lit does that of the millionaire. This (brings us to (the second ground of opposition that of compulsory training. Dbes the form of training wlMcih bias been, adopted in New Zealand imply conscription? Some people argute thlat it does. Others aver

tilicit there .is only a sufficient oonirpulsory dement in it to remove it a stage' fn'omi volunteering. It miust be remembered that, undier thte volunteer system, a certaiin amount of eonipuhiic-n was emipilwyed. I* WlJil& found, to>weve.r, that this system did n»t r,p,pea:i t<j the grout bulk of our ytoung citra&ns, turn thlart hardily live per ,oeiit. cf the rising generation took a real interest, in the defence •of tflutiir, country. Jt was with a view ito quickening enthusiasm, and stopping the military "not" w;lii.oh kid teet in, that liarli anient was induced to bring procure to boar. Tiro system wlhiich bias been introduced has many defects., .it was really instiftaited an a hturry—a fault wdiiclh is inommon to preyent-aay Liberal legislation. But its- objects appeal to the (great bulk of the citizens, iand when ttiv& rougfli edges are taken off, it wall ibe found to work tolerably well. The nnti-anttlitarists are making a big demonstration just now; but the re-' iception fllbich is accorded them shows that their movement is opposed to popular sentiment. If Where ds an. element wiliflah objects to compulsory training, this should Ibe allowed to withdraw from, the system, and the name of every younig miam who objects to accepting his share in the defence, of his country shtouHd /be published fiaa* and wide. A most 1 tihiling about -the anti- | military movement ii-s that the majority of tlitose wJliso Object to aompulsiory training are strongly in favour of compulsiry uniiohi&m.