THE HOME GUARD.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1941, Page 4

THE HOME GUARD.

rpO a very considerable extent, at, least, the Home Guard will come into its own under the new scheme of organisation which was outlined by the Acting-Prime Alinister in the House of Representatives last evening. It will exchange its present somewhat uncertain and ill-defined status for that of a recognised section of the Defence Forces of the Dominion, under the leadership of its own commissioned officers and controlled administratively by the Minister of Defence instead, of the Minister of National Service. There is no doubt that these changes are on right lines and they should go far to remove what is anomalous in the organisation and standing of the Home Guard.

As much may be said of Ihe proposed separation of Hie members of the Home Guard into two divisions, each of approximately 50,000 men, and the concentration of equipment and training on the first of these divisions, consisting of those most physically fit and efficient. In view of the heightened tension that has developed in the Pacific, these and other measures to build up and develop the Home Guard as an effective defence force evidently are fully warranted.

The establishment of divisions should go far to assist and ensure the selection for training and equipment of men of a reasonably high physical standard, but, though' it may be rather late in the day now to raise the question, there is not much doubt that the right course would have been 16 apply the principle of compulsion .to the enrolment of the Home Guard. There certainly can be no reasonable objection to compulsory service for home defence when service in both the Territorial and Expeditionary forces is compulsory, finder a system of compulsion, the fittest available men in the appropriate agegroups would have been selected automatically, and all such questions as that of defence service or retention in essential occupations could have been dealt with and settled in an orderly manner.

The position as it stands, however, is that there has been an excellent response to the appeal for voluntary enlistment in the Home Guard, and the plans now made public should ensure the expedited training and equipment of the Guard as an active and valuable part of the national military forces.