NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 6

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

After reading Mr. Fleming's letter in last night's "Star" on the above subject I liad to dance at the date of the newspaper just to make sure that I was not by mistake reading your issue of June 15, 1900. Your correspondent's ideas and arguments are obsolete by approximately thirty years, and it is exactly these ideas and arguments tliat led us to the year 1014, of infamous memory. Fortunately the New Zealand public has learned something during these thirty years. The truth is that mankind lias definitely advanced and is continuing to advance along the road of humanitarianism in spite of those who use the same terms of argument as Mr. Fleming. If we are to follow his advice, let us by all means tell our mothers and future mothers that their sons will be far more valuable as corpses than as useful and intelligent citizens, but I think that the womenfolk will not be quite so willing to accept this idea as they used to be. Your correspondent is pleased to criticise our present "ease and pleasure" generation. There is nothing wrong with our youth they are just rather less credulous than Mr. Fleming's argument is futile and devoid of any constructive thought. War is the paradise of the "wooden head under the brass hat,"« as Philip Gibbs has remarked, and I do not think that New Zealand wants any more Victorian Imperialism. G. E. THOMPSON.