ANZACS IN DEBATE ON CONSCRIPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 107, 9 May 1939, Page 9

ANZACS IN DEBATE ON CONSCRIPTION.

A GENERAL'S VIEW. Magnificent Fighters But Never Make Soldiers. LABOUR CRITICISM. British Official Wireless. ; (Received ll.no a m.) RUGBY, May 8. The House of Commons 10-night 1 gave the second leading to Ihe Compulsory Military Training Hill, which provides for six months' training of men between 'JO and '21. The debute was ripened for the Opposition by Mr. Wedgwood Menu (Lab.. Ma.iichcst.cr), who moved an amendment condemning the (!o\ernmcnt's grave incompetence in organisation of national resomces for defence, and its violation ol repeated • pledges in introdiicting a measure of conscription. He suggested that the additional strength in manpower the measure mi'/ht afford was a poor make-weight for the strategic advantages lost |>v the Government's foreign policy which, he claimed, was the real cause of lack of confidence abroad in British resolution rather than, as was alleged by the Government spokesman, the size of the Army. In so far as the Government intended the bill as a reassurance to foreign Government*, which thought in terms of conscription, it was misleading since it did not provide the millions with which in those countries conscription was synonymous. He contended that the voluntary system was far from having failed, and expressed the fear that the compulsory system would only afford an opportunity for official muddle and regimentation without improving on the practical results which could have been obtained by intelligent operation of the voluntary system. Mr. Wedgwood Bcnn recalled that the Anzacs at. Nnvla Bay were splendid and hard-working. They certainly were not the most respectful (laughter), but how they worked and fought! He would not forget his general's remark, "They're magnificent fighters, but you'll never turn them into soldiers.'' (Opposition laughter and cheers.) Product of Compulsory System. Sir Edward Grigg (Altrincham, Cheshire): Has the member forgotten that the Anzacs were the product of compulsory military service? Mr. Wedgwood Bcnn: T have not forgotten that the Anzacs were told they were volunteers and the majority voted against conscription. Mr. C. R. Attlce, Labour Leader, said tho Government had riot discharged its obligations, had not shown the military need for conscription, and had not shown that men could not be provided voluntarily. The proposal was not directed towards immediate needs, but wa» * surrender to the conscriptionists at home and the uninformed demands from abroad. Mr. Chamberlain had done all possible to break national unity. Ho was regarded with suspicion by a large section and not as a friend of democracy. Congcription would not stop at the present measure —the spectre of industrial conscription loomed behind. In the name of defending liberty they might see their liberties destroyed. Reply for Government. Mr. W. S. Morrison, replying for the Government, agreed with the Labour spokesman in thinking tlfat the remarkable character of the achievement of the British voluntary system had been insufficiently appreciated abroad. There probably had been nothing quite like it in the world, and the fact ought to be proclaimed. He explained, however, that, magnificent M the results of the voluntary nystem were, they did not meet the upecial needs of modern conditions under which they had a long period of tension before war actually broke out, which necessitated in peace time the manning of defences against the possibility of sudden unheralded attack. The voluntary system was shaped to deal with a situation based on different assumptions from those actually prevailing. To secure the safety of the country they had to remould the defence system to meet the need< of the modern technique of aggression, and the Minister argued that this was justification of the meaiure of conscription now introduced.