NATIONAL SERVICE AND PARTY RANCOUR.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14665, 14 May 1913, Page 8

NATIONAL SERVICE AND PARTY RANCOUR.

Their strange conception of tho fitness of thing, has led some of the Opposition critics into thinking that this is a good time for treating the question of our home defence in a bitter party spirit. They are railing again at Mr Allen, and repeating their oft-exposed misrepresentations of his references to tho expeditionary force which will be mado possible by our defence system. When Mr Allen stated in London exactly what he stated in Wellington last December, that ho hoped to perfect arrangements for the prompt despatch, when circumstances required it, of a volunteer expeditionary force of 8000 or 10,000 men, he was made the subject of some bitter and amazing misrepresentations. His enemies declared that ho had "sprung a surprise" upon tho public, that ho had insulted tho country by giving it "no inkling" of his scheme, that he had announced his intention to provide a costly "standing "army," and that his "offer" was an offer of conscripts. Every one of these allegations was entirely false, and was proved to be» so, even before tho arrival of tho full report of tho Minister's speech showed that ho had said exactly what, without evoking any hostile criticism, ho had said in Wellington before leaving for London. Now, however, an obvious mistake by a telegraphist has been seized upon to repeat all the old "untruths. A message from London reported Mr Allien as having told the Canadian Club in Winnipeg that, if tho occasion arose, Now Zealand could send an expeditionary force of "eighty thousand men" to the assistance of Canada. A local Opposition paper, in come comments ■upon this, suggested that Sir Allen was carried by "post-prandial " expressions of friendship." On its second thoughts of yesterday, this critic repented so far as to let its readers understand that "eighty thousand" was a mistake on the part of the people sending the cable message. We shall be told, perhpas, that we are very dull in not understanding that tho first suggestion was only a joke, and that, like another recent misstatement from the samo quarter, it should not have been taken literally. Tastes in humour vary, and perhaps there is really nothing but genial high spirits behind the reiteration of tho mis-state-ment that Mr Allen did not givie the Dominion any hint of the expeditionary force before he went to England. It is very unfortunate that in their zeal to attack the Government on all ocoasions the Opposition organs should seek to injure the defence system. When 3lr Massey was in opposition Sir Joseph Ward received from his political opponents the heartiest assistance and cooperation in tho establishment of our defence system, and in its protection against its enemies. That may or may not have been highly creditable to the Reform Party, but it would have been greatly to their discredit if they had aotcd as their opponents are acting now. We may add, that if the spirit of tho Reform Party had been such that Mr Massey and his friends wouid havo sacrificed good causes and high national interests to their piyty needs, the Reform Party would never have reached office. While the "Liberals" were in office the question of national defence was treated,as being so high and important that party differences should not touch it. The present Opposition has no such scruples, although it is proper to say that Mr Arthur Myers remains true to his convictions, and faithful to the example set by the Reform Party when the "Liberals" were in power. If anything can mako moro deplorable' the readiness of the Opposition Press to misrepresent Mr Allen and prejudice the defence system merely to striko at the Government, it is tho fact that the expeditionary force was ono of Mr Seddon's ideas. Like Mr Allen, he knew that the willingness on the part of our young men to volunteer for service abroad in the interests of Empire should be assisted by methodical preparations to make the most prompt and efficient use of that patriotism. It is of a piece with the rest-of the Opposition criticism that Mr Allen should actually be represented as intending to spend.vast Sums on "two largo cxpedi- " tionary armies" without consulting Parliament! Mr Allen could not do this even* if he wished. Ah a matter of fact, we are sure that Parliament will approve of the gradual development of our defence system into the efficient aud elastic institution that Mr Allen and the country wish it to be. In i_e meantime, there must be a great

many former opponents of the Government who will feel acutely the very

sorry tactics of their former political guides, for a majority of the public after all regard the national interest as of more importance than the party needs of the Opposition.