MILITARY PREPARATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 257, 30 October 1929, Page 6

MILITARY PREPARATIONS.

Miss Eva P. Cato has indeed answered mv letter, but very unconvincingly. If conscription means persecution, what about our domestic conscription, law and order? Does that create mistrust any more than 11 doorlock on our private possessions? To state also that grinding poverty and miserable dwellings are in any way associated with defence measures is hardly fair. We have a good many versions of what character the next war may take, and if we are prepared, no matter what form it adopts, we will be able to use counter measures. lam surprised at Sir lan Hamilton sand Sir William Robertson's authority being quoted, for Sir lan Hamilton is not only an advocate of conscription, but was here when the scheme was launched and inspected tne whole of the trainees, including junior cadet;. It was the discovery of guano by Raimres at the Straits of Magellan that caused the friction between Chile and the Argentine. The arbitration by the United States and settlement o£ the boundary naturally appeased both sides. The melting of the cannon and the erection o a monument was a gesture which would appea very greatly to the simple country people, n evervbodv were as philosophical as Livingstone and' William Penn I believe we might mana without conscription, but unfortunately bulk of us are still rather primitive and stii covet each other's possessions. To speaK heroism, chivalry, loyalty and devotion is to join sides with me and accept the buiden defence which we have to shoulder for tne good of our country. I have ! 0 books mentioned, one of winch, I ports my contentions. Basil , - dealt with the colour problem all right, bu has not solved it. To quote from his book 1M Clash of Colour": "The impending strug* between East and West foretold by many pel sons who cannot be classed as visi° as fanatics may easily be mitigated ... entirelv averted if the British Commonwealth of Nations can find a place withmits compass for three hundred and twentj nulhonj of Asiatics fully enjoying the P inlle^';. ... 5 adequately discharging the i e =p°"» . which at present characterise the inhabant of Great Britain and the Dominions." What a proposition to alp and if we do not, what then _ 1 rna ti o ual waiting, helping and hoping tor amity. M us still keep f ,e j^ vlcE . eventualities. —i 1