The Waikato Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1939 DIFFERENCE OVER DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20727, 10 February 1939, Page 4

The Waikato Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1939 DIFFERENCE OVER DEFENCE

Serious differences of opinion regarding Sew Zealand's defence needs exist, between Mr Savage and Mr W. E. Barnard, Speaker of e ou>e of Representatives. While Mr Barnard declares the country ta.*? urgent need for a trained force of 20,000 men, “before it l- too late, Mr Savage says: “I can see nothing whatever in the present situation to get excited about.” Mr Savage declares that He arc pushing ahead as fast as we possibly can.” If that statement is sincere and accurate, New Zealand’s chances of meeting an emergency successfully are poor indeed. In spite of that utmost e oit, . cw Zealand still has a territorial force of fewer than 8000 men, of whom, Mr Barnard says, probably not more than 2000 could be regarded aa efficient soldiers. If rearmament is worth while its real value is immediate. A policy aiming at reaching efficiency some years hence is not, in the present position of world affairs, what the British Empire wants. The crisis is now and in the immediate future. At the present rate of progress, when the New Zealand force reaches full strength the real value of British rearmament might easily have been lost. What x r Barnard and many others see is that a vigorous effort at once is north more than a lifetime of the slow but sure development for which Mr Savage stands. New Zealand is not justified in building slowly and deliberately while other parts of the Empire are being compelled to meet the immediate challenge. As a permanent policy, if armies are still to be necessary, there is much to be said for Mr Savage’s intention of making the soldier feel that he is being trained for citizenship as well as for the defence of his country against armed attack. The present moment, however, is not the time to give first to “learning the arts of peace. ’ Bet democracy first place itself in a position to stay the forces of destruction before it is too late; otherwise the ideal of learning the arts of peace may become a shattered dream. “Declarations of war are now out of date,” Mr Barnard says, “and it would be too late to train men after the first gun bad been fired and the first bomb dropped. It is of no use setting about preparing for real defence after the gong has struck. Now is the time for it—and there is not very much time, perhaps.” Now is the time also for the New Zealand Government to reconsider its policy. Questions which it must ask itself are: Is it necessary to spend good money on building up a serviceable defence force ? Will the building of such a force serve the cause of peace or protect the Empire from destruction ? If the Empire needs defending, is New Zealand doing its share, or is it allowing other parts of the Empire to bear the burden while the New Zealand Government makes political hay ?