"DEFEATISTS—AND ESCAPISTS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 297, 14 December 1940, Page 8

"DEFEATISTS—AND ESCAPISTS."

In expressing his bitter dwappointraent at the resultant flop to his appeal for volunteers for a Horn* Guard, the Mayor has to jfr forgotten his dignity a« to mirl the insulting name * of "defeatists —and escapists" at those of us who bad the temerity to reveal to him that fait idea« are all wrong—and that a compuiAory Home Guard m the only ju*t *gd logical answer at the preseut critical moment. There were those in Vichy* i anks to whom that hateful word "defeatist" aptly applied—and who seemingly did not object to that damning label as a loyal New Zealander I do--and very strongly. With the prospect of six bob an hour for overtime, there a ! e . those among us who do not fancy giving the State the benefit of our leisure time—thousands, too. of "aoclever ' young married men who rushed into matrimony when the war cloud* gathered—and thereby escaped the baland have 110 intention of responding to the Mayor's appeal. All Sir Ernest's oratory, combined with Mr. Semple's long-range verbal artillery, will not stop the enemy. That stuff is as useless in the Western Desert as it i* here. A compulsory, trained Home Guard might it did in Greece. So far onlv 2 per cent out of the 300.000 eligible® hav# volunteered. Ye god*. MacCLURE.