The Waikato Times SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1939 DEFENCE NEEDS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20734, 18 February 1939, Page 6

The Waikato Times SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1939 DEFENCE NEEDS

Mr Savage s denial that the Government is ‘‘asleep” regarding the country s defence needs was probably perfectly sincere, but the question that is exercising the minds of thousands of people throughout the country is whether the Government’s conception of the need is not inadequate. Events in Europe and in the Ear East have left no doubt that only one development will prevent certain Powers realising their ambition of world domination. That development is a great accession of strength to the naval and military forces of the democratic Powers. Peace is a desirable thing, and the New Zealand Government s longing for a state of peace can well be understood, but if it desires to preserve peace and freedom there is only one course open.

Peace discussions based on disarmament have failed miserably before the onslaught of ambitious aggressors. Colonies are wanted next, and if the British Empire were to remain weak, those colonies would certainly go under foreign domination. Mr Savage has not refuted those facts. He has, indeed, said that during the past three years more has been done for defence than has been attempted by any previous Government, and the present Government is going to “go faster still.” That statement was not strictly correct, for a previous Government once had well over 100,000 men under arms and fighting desperately to save the Empire. If the Government is not “asleep,” what has it achieved ? The Air Force has been extended moderately, the Navy is much as it was three years ago and the Army has perhaps 2000 to 3000 really efficient soldiers, and under 9000 partly trained.

Like Britain, New Zealand once believed reason would prevail among the nations and that no costly show of force would be necessary to preserve the peace. That dream has been ruthlessly shattered. Britain, most ardent advocate of peace, and a shrewd judge of the international position, is putting every ounce of her strength into a great defence scheme and is offering £800,000,000 as the price of maintaining peace. She knows more of the danger than New Zealand can hope to know, and her lead is sound. New Zealand is dallying and hoping against hope that she will escape the danger without making greater effort. Is that sound strategy ? One disturbing feature is that although the Government has called for volunteers to fill the ranks of a territorial establishment of 9000 men the response has been astonishingly poor. That is an indication of the opinion of the Dominion’s young men. They do not want military training, and men of an older generation wonder why. At the same time there is no doubt that volunteers would rush to the colours, perhaps too late, if a sudden emergency arose and the call were made. Does not that indicate that the need has not been made known sufficiently by those in higher places ? Does it not suggest that someone is indeed “asleep” or simply drifting in the hope that peace will be saved by some other means 1 The Government hoped to make the nation physically fit to bear arms by a wholly civil system, but what has been achieved in that direction ? It is very unlikely that a “fitness” campaign will achieve the objective half as efficiently as would a sound system of military training. The suggestion by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce that a national register should be instituted to awaken public opinion and prepare the way for mobilisation in an emergency is deserving of prompt consideration. Britain and the other Dominions cannot be left to carry the whole burden.