CITIZEN ARMY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 8

CITIZEN ARMY

DOMINION’S NEED Twenty Thousand Men MR. BARNARD EMPHATIC NO TIME TO BE LOST t Per Press AisociaUvu. J HASTINGS. Feb. 7. j •Since the present Government assumed office it has devoted time and money to the improvement of the Dominion's defence.” said Hon. W. E. Barnard, addressing a crowded meeting in Napier to-night on the subject of New Zealand defence with the object of stimulating an interest in defence matters. He suggested the formation of a citizen detente army of 20 000 men on a voluntary basis, aided by a ballot among eligible men for service in districts not tilling the volunteerd quota. "The naval arm has been strengthened and the Air Force is developing under a well-defined progressive plan, he continued, "bit in respect to the land forces the policy of the Government has not been fulfilled. Not only is this so. but it is now questionable whether that policy is enough, even if complemented to the full, in Bt light of the international situation .which almost daily grows more dangerous to the peace of the world.” After discussing reasons for the apathy of the public and youth to ’he call for enlistment in the land forces. Mr. Barnard said that New Zealand was not sufficiently appreciative of the necessity for defence. "We tend as a people to be so engrossed in domesticmatters —guaranteed prices, social security, awards and import restrictions -that we have little time to devote to interantional problems, yet these might at any moment take a turn which would throw domestic concerns in the shade.” he declared. "Let us not try to seek spurious comfort by recalling the distance from the scene of events. Each world flight of bombing planes sees the space dividing us from the rest of the world shrink further. We are not so remote from Japan which —to put it mildly —could not be reckoned as a friendly or even neutral Power in the event of a European war involving the British Empire.”

Growing Menace. Mr. Barnard said he had no dou’.thal if Great Britain were at war i New Zealand also would be involved ■ in a war and Britain was straining I every nerve and every resource to rearm against what appeared to be the time. "Anyone who reads the daily newspaper with average care cannot fail to be impressed with the growing menace of the States hostile to de- ; mocracy—State; whose lust for territory and power increases the more it ’ is indulged." he continued. "For th? sake of so-called appeasement we • matched and consented to the sacri- : fice of Spain. We aided and abetted I the sacrifice of Czechoslovakia. We • do nothing except write an ocea- • i I futile Note while Japan wages a her- j rible war on soldie 1 .; and civilian-: »n » China—men, women and little chilchen alike.” About a fortnight ago the Pi oJ Japan was reported to hav-» said: i •*T hope that the Chinese ieaiise that • Japan n policy is enabhn< o-opera-t on. If they Ki! to unoer.r ra w? will ha . e no alt .* native ; i to exterminate them. “What are we to do if s• r: da> • Jtpan demands t >-operatk i on her | own terms from Australia and .New ' Zealand'” asked Mr. Barnard. "I touch on these things n. • t > try to | create scare and still less to create ill-will towards any foreign people, but. to indicate briefly the crying need i and rouse ourselves from our present •

apathy and unconcern. “Our concern should be to inspire every man and woman to support a proper policy and scheme for home defence which will provide adequate numbers of citizen soldiers and an effective system of military training. Declarations of war are out of date. It will be too late to train men after the first gun has been fired and the first bomb dropped.” “Are the territorials sufficient ?” asked Mr. Barnard. About two years ago. he said, it was decided that a well-trained balanced force of 900<) territorials would suffice for the defence of the Dominion. The country had a little over 8000 territoriali and it would be safe to say that perhaps not more than one-fourth might be regarded as efficient soldiers. It was I no good playing at soldiers. Nine thousand fully-trained men migiit have been enough two years ago, but it was not enough to-day. “My own view,” added Mr. Barnard, “which is shared by some responsible people, is that we should aim at training not less than 20,000 men for home <1 fence purposes. Older and maturer men should be found in the defence forces. Their pretence there in numbers would provide most convincing examples to the younger men. Be- . sides this, the natural leaders of me community, wno are io ne found among the older men, would in many cases furnish the leadership required in the development and maintenance of a citizen army which the country needs. I-et toe age of enlistment me a minimum of 20 years and the only maximum fitness for home defence and ability to pass the doctor. *We ought not to be content <o pass the respoisibilitv on to youth a.s we are doing to-day.” Finding the Men The question arose, continued Mr. Barnard, how to get 20.000. There was small hope of procuring them voluntarily. He did not think any general or “blanket” provision for compulsory service in peacetime was required. The whole Dominion could be divided into suitable districts centring as much as possible upon a city or town and a definite quota could’ be resuired of each district. The Mayors, chairmen of county councils and other local representatives would be urged to use their efforts to secure the necessary quotas. Healthy, rivalry

citizenship would thereby be enrollreg€d. All would be voluntary but ’he lack of it would be the provision that any district which failed to find or maintain its quota would be compelled to make up the deficiency, the shortage being made up through say a ballot of men between the selected ages. No district would wish to have compulsion applied and each would endeavour to find the quota, probably with success in every instance. “There is no time to be lost.” urged Mr. Barnard. “It will take time to build up such a citizen force as I have roughly sketched. Time is against us. We cannot afford to procrastinate or merely tinker about with defence.” FINAL WARNING WEAKNESS OF NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE EARL BEATTY’S VISIT ENDS ( Pei Press Association | WELLINGTON. Feb. 7. The hope that New Zealanders would not. forget his warning as to Jhe necessity of the Dominion having adequate defence was expressed by Earl Beatty who. with Countess Beatty’, left by the Awatea to-day for [Sydney. i Earl Beatty added that perhaps in h's addresses he may have gone a little bit beyond the work of the :Navy League but if that were so he had been induced or stimulated to do iso because of the most apparent weak- : nesses of New Zealand from a defence I point of view . “The people of New Zealand.” said Earl Beatty, “must realise their responsibilities. I realise that the handicap is finance, but in these days we have all to sacrifice something to attain the necessary means of defence."