CONSCRIPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 305, 27 December 1939, Page 6

CONSCRIPTION.

There seems to be a conflict of opinion on conscription. Even if the Hon. P. Langstone is not correct in stating that the question of conscription was voted upon at the last election, the result ie the same; it will be whatever k decided i upon as being good for us by those I whom we in our folly decided should mould our lives for us. Should conscription of man-power be decided upon, then by all the laws of justice there should also be conscription of wealth. To take a man's life is to take his all. To take his wealth and give him the standard of living of a private soldier is not as bad as making I him a soldier, and possibly a dead one at that. Yet it is possible that after all the Minister was merely being "political." For the Government of which the Hon. F. Langstone is a member and Minister does not believe in any such things ae "equality of sacrifice." In its lists of pensions for the soldiers it may conscript, it values the life of a private at 30/ per week, while a colonel's life is rated at £3 10/ per week. That is the sum that thenrespective widows -will get if they get killed on active service. It is the sum' to be paid to the widows of the volunteers at present on' active eervice, yes several ex-MJP.'e still alive and title to work get £100 per annum a.s s consolation prize for losing their position at the public trough during the hurly-burly of elections. It may yet be possible to see some peculiar situations arise. If" we are all to be on soldiers' pay and rations, will M.P.'s be colonels end Cabinet Ministers generals (for pay and rations), and how will the persons known as, and paid as, His Majesty's Opposition be rated? FREDERICK MacLEOD.