The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo and The Sun. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1939. WANTED —A LEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 301, 21 December 1939, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo and The Sun.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1939. WANTED —A LEAD.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance. For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

In the light of the widt'lv different ! and inconclusive statements made on the subject by two prominent member* of the Labour party, what is the country to think of the conscription issue? On the one hand :i Cabinet Minister, the Hon. F. Langstone, speaks together in the same breath of conscription q£ wealth and of manpower, and is vague about the Government's intentions in regard to either or to both. On the other, the Speaker of the House, the Hon. \V. E. Barnard, says that while he is not prepared to compel other peopled sons to go overseas, the people may have to face tip to the question of conscription. Mr. Twmgstone told his audience that if there was conscription he and they would be on soldiers' rations and soldiers' pay.

To which statement should most attention be paid? Mr. Barnard was speaking to electors as a whole, including those who did not agree with the views of the Government. But Mr. Langs tone was speaking in the Trades Hall to Labour supporters. To which audience is it likely that a man would speak with least reserve f Moreover, Mr. Langs tone is a Cabinet Minister, and for that reason what he says in a matter so important aa this cannot be taken lightly. Conscription of wealth and manpower is a good catch cry, but it is better as a catch cry than as a policy. In theory there is a great deal to be said for it; in practice it would not only disorganise the basis of New Zealand's economy but would also slow up production. Mr. Barnard is emphatic in his disagreement with Mr. Langstone on this point. Mr. Langstone, he infers, is simply stating hia own personal opinion, and in this matter Mr. Barnard is probably right. |

But even in Mr. Barnard's statement there is no evidence that the Government has given the issue of conscription the serious attention it deserves. He says with comfortable optimism that "we ■ can get the volunteers." Well, something has got to be done about that, and done soon, or we won't get them. It is commonly agreed that, counting reinforcements and supernumeraries, 30,000 men will go overseas. How many have we now f The first echelon is ready—6ooo men. The second echelon is far from being filled, and beyond that is a third. In short, of a necessary force of 30,000, we have little more than a fifth. What are we going to tell Major-General Freyberg when he arrives? What is he 'going? to say and what is be going to demand? Are we going to be content to tell this great New Zealand soldier, himself the embodiment of the tradition founded 25 years ago by men who did not wait to be -forced into uniform, that we believe we can get the men, but we haven't yet really tried f Major-Genera 1 Freyberg may find it necessary to inform the country that there is a war on. Men who have consented to fill a responsible position such as MajorGeneral Freyberg has, and found that so little has been done to help them, have resigned before now.