“ANZAC LET DOWN”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1939, Page 5

“ANZAC LET DOWN”

DECLARATION BV R.S.A. PRESIDENT POOR RESPONSE TO APPEAL FOR RECRUITS. ADVOCACY OF MILITARY TRAINING. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “The people of New Zealand in recent years have, by their conduct, let Anzac down.’’ said the president of .the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, the Hon \V. Perry. M.L.C*., in urging the animal conference of the association yesterday to advocate compulsory military I raining. A remit expressing concern at the j present position and asking the Go- , vernment to train all persons’ compulsorily was adopted. Some delegates desired the enforcement again of the Defence Act, 1909. but withdrew an amendment 4hey had moved when it was pointed out that the remit went further. The following remit was adopted:— “That the N.Z.R.S.A. views with the gravest concern the present lack of defence measures suitable to the needs of New Zealand as a co-partner in the British Commonwealth of Nations and considers that in view of the failure of the voluntary system of training and the lack of response to the Government’s appeal for recruits, the Government should take immediate steps, under a scheme of compulsory universal national service, to organise and train all persons of suitable age and capacity for the defence of New Zealand, and pledges itself to assist the Government in every possible way.” The phrases “as a co-partner in the British Commonwealth of Nations” and “under a scheme of compulsory universal national service” were not in the remit as laid before the conference by Dr J.' L. Frazerhurst on. behalf of the committee which had been set up to consider remits touching defence and the maintenance of peace. It had been suggested, he said, that the position might be met by bringing into effect again the 1909 Act. but, if that were done, several years would elapse before a force was available. PROMPT ACTION NEEDED. Mr J. M. White (Dunedin) moved, and Mr N. C. D. Mason (Wairarapa) seconded, an amendment, the main effect of which was to state that the Government should take immediate steps to reinstate universal military training as brought into effect by the Defence Act, 1909. Mr White admitted that the 1909 Act would take time to operate, but said nothing better was being done at present. ’He would go further and favour youths undergoing three months’ training, as in Europe. There was no more equitable system than the compulsory one. Some youth did not volunteer today because they did not wish to serve while others did not serve. The time had come for urgent action, and many other organisations favoured compulsion. The association had been asked for something for years, but prompt action was now required. Mr Perry said he was speaking as president of the R.S.A., and not of the Defence League, when he spoke in support of the amendment. The association should give a lead in the matter. Had Great Britain possessed in 1935 the arms it possessed in 1914, nothing would have been heard of the conquest of Abyssinia. Humiliation after humiliation had been What was happening at Tientsin? He regretted that he had lived to see the day when Britain's flag no longer protected her nationals. The reason for that was that people throughout the world had not done what they should have done to support their system of democracy. They had only themselves to blame. Having stated that the voluntary system had failed, it' was their duty to suggest the alternative. Even after the September crisis the territorial forces had not increased over the miserable 9000, when one would have expected a great influx. No finer appeal had been made than that by the Prime Minister, but it also had left New Zealanders unmoved. “APPALLING AND DISGRACEFUL.” The figures showing enrolments in the military reserve published yesterday, were appalling, and disgraceful to the young people of New Zealand. Only 5 per cent of the people of New Zealand between 20 and 35 years had responded. That was proof conclusive of the failure of the voluntary system. Those who clung to the voluntary gystem believed that it was the duty of the man with a sense of duty to protect the property, life, and family of those who had no sense of duty. “The people of New Zealand in recent years have by their conduct let Anzac down.” said Mr Perry, ’■and we men who fought in the war'more than 20 years ago are being asked to shoulder the burden, which we should not be asked to shoulder, but which should be shouldered by the younger members of the community.” After some further discussion the mover and seconder of the amendment withdrew it on condition that the two new phrases mentioned above be inserted in the remit, which was then carried.