Appeal To Men

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 27, 29 December 1939, Page 12

Appeal To Men

HE GOVERNMENT has issued an 4. appeal for men; which means, of course, that it has appealed to men. Now that the first draft of the expeditionary force is ready to sail, it is necessary to fill the gaps in the second draft; and the first step is to let the Dominion’s manhood know that gaps exist. There is, of course, a small section of the community which is opposed to war in any circumstances, and because we are a democracy, liberally governed, there is no present compulsion on that section to provide soldiers. There is a very urgent compulsion on its members to search their consciences in the light of the high motives they profess, but neither the Government nor the public has shown any desire so far to press them further. Their future depends on their sincerity and the genuineness of their desire to be helpful as far as they can be. But the Government asks all other men to rally to the defence of their country and their way of living. It is an appeal to reason first and to emotion second; and by emotion we do not mean hatred or greed or flamboyant nationalism. We mean pity, fear of brutish things, devotion to our families and to our inherited liberties. If there are other ways of defending them than by fighting for them, we don’t know what they are. Neither do our enemies. It is, however, a horrifying responsibility to send men into battle against their will. No Government dare do it if there is another way, and the Government of New Zealand is trying another way. It is asking all men who are fit and free to go voluntarily. Some are by temperament unfit to fight. Some who are fit are more useful in other occupations. But some thousands of the right kind are wanted at once, and the Government is paying them the highest compliment a Government can pay when it asks them to come forward as volunteers. The issues are quite clear. We must defend our liberties or lose them. For although it is possible to engage in a struggle in which victory comes to neither side, that is a struggle into which both sides have put the last ounce of their strength. If we do less than that, there will be a victor, and it will not be ourselves.