ARMY AND PUBLIC

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 233, 2 October 1942, Page 2

ARMY AND PUBLIC

THE declaration of Lieutenant-General Puttick concerning the need for the public to be well informed about army matters comes after the Dominion has been three years at war. If it had been made at the beginning (although, in justice to General Puttick, it should be recalled that he was not then in New Zealand) public understanding of army problems would be deeper and more widespread than is the case to-day. Of the need for such understanding there can be no doubt. I'nder Hitler's rule It Is perhaps of no great importance that the people should understand what is being done by the military, and why; but—as was said recently by an American writer—in a democracy "military action in all Its phases, from preparation to demobilisati< n. depends on voluntary support and co-operation. To the extent that this mood is the derivative of Informed understanding, rather than of blind trust and obedience, the perpetuation of a people's Government is ensured." In New Zealand, as General Puttick remarked, the public is greatly interested in the army, but It has "no background of general knowledge of the army, and no basic knowledge of the things that matter in the army." This deficiency could have been repaired, and it can still be repaired, but only by such a change in the military attitude towards publicity as it appears General Puttick desires to bring about, Up to now the* army has received, on the one hand, much undiscriminating praise, and. on the other, much undiscrimlnating blame. In the measure in which it has received them, it has merited neither. If General Puttick's declaration implies, as we greatly hope It does, that in future there is to be on the part of the armv authorities a greater degree of candour, less fear that constructive criticism will Impair morale, less disposition to suspect that, inquiries have a critical motive, he will have no reason to be dissatisfied with the response.