THE ALTERNATIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 50, 28 February 1916, Page 4

THE ALTERNATIVE.

I That compulsion must come if the system" fails has always been I-clear. There may he, however; many eligible men' who have not thoroughly realised this, and on their-account especially we welcome the reiterated statement, by the Prime Minister that the Government will use compulsion if men cannot be got by other means. The Government, says 'Mr. Massey, is determined to give the voluntary system a thorough trial, but it is also determined that its, promise to the Imperial Government in the matter of reinforcements' shall be fulfilled to the last man. We earnestly commend this plain statement to all men who are now in a.position to enlist. Let them ask .themselves which is better, to go forward voluntarily or to hang back until they are made to go. Surely from both points of view, the man's self.respect aai. the good .of .the .unit in. which he will be placed, it is better to b? a volunteer. " Can any " young man seriously desire to bein the last hundred. thousand," says the'" Spectator "of the compulsion scheme at Home, "and to be reminded,, not only in'the trenches, for that" will be the least'unplea'sant'p*rt.of the business, but all the rest ofhislife, that he was in the 'slackers' brigade?' We do not suggest for a moment'that-the. copy rades-in-arms of the compelled men would treat them wrtn-brutality'or anything of the: sort. The, danger ;is somathing very different It is that, they will ignore them and refuse to admit tb&p they are full comrades in arms." This warning : should-he taken.'-to-feeart by. those who are free to "go now, but dp not stir. -, .-• - We are glad to see-that.the possibility of injustice to men in-.QlassTß-. has been removed, or at least minimised. We mentioned the other day that it had. been pointed out that while the authorities permitted single* men in Class A to volunteer for distant.'...drafts, they .might call up married men.in Class Bto fiD. gaps in earlier drafts..'. .The'.Ministti' for Defence has since stated—and Mr. Massey has made a similar statements— that no names will be accepted for drafts more than six. months ahead. Men who offer for reinforcements later than 'this'will-be regarded as unwilling to enlist. Mr. Massey's emphatic statement about compulsion should he noted by. local bodies-. As-ihe sg,ys,:jt is unnecessary for councils to pass resolutions urging the Government to. adopt conscription, because the" Government intends to'do this'if the present systent fails. Such 'resolutions* t^d--to-encour-age -men fo hold.back under?, the. excuse that .if theL.Gpyernm.snt wan|s7.them itr should take them. Tlie duty" of local 1 bodies is to help the Government as much as they can, leaving it to Cabinet to change the system wheiTit thinks fit'