The Press.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14909, 24 February 1914, Page 6

The Press.

TUESDAY. FEBRUAtIY 24, 1914

"Imported Officers."

Commenting on a statement by the Minister of Defence that it is hoped that henceforward there will be A sufficient number of New Zenlanders ia thiiuing to fill vacnncies in the Defence Force, without importing officers, from England, tho "New Zealand Herald" makes an exceedingly unfair and unjustifiable attack on the English officers who have done such valuable work in organising our" Territorials for home defence. "Admitting," it says, "that nothing else could be done than "import officers from England, and ro- * cognising that some of the officers " nave been all that could be wished "Or-desired, tho fact remains that im- *' poftatioUs to fill ordinary appoint-' " monts ifi the Defence Forco havo been " generally as unsatisfactory as in "every other departmi&nt' of the State "service.". Further, it adds —'The " general unsuitability of the ordinary "imported officer is notorious. He can- " not appreciate the colonial point of ♦•'view or tho colonial conditions; ho " masks his inadaptability under a

"blind reverence for routine and red"tapo; he poses in a manner which "may bo impressive at Home, but is " only irritating in a colony." We have no hesitation in saying that these charges are untrue, and wo believe wo shall be supported by all who hare been in' actual contact with tho gentlemen thus maligned. Even the "Herald" must admit that in General Godley wto have an officer of tho highest ability and the most perfect tact and consideration. When his staff was selected tho War Office authorities determined to give him of their b„t, in view of the importance of tho work to bo undertaken, and there is no doubt that New Zealand has been fortunate in getting some of tho best officers over sent out of England. Tho task before them wa.s ono of extraordinary difficulty, inasmuch as they had to start at tho very beginning in organising the Defence For<-e. Tho art of war, and of military organisation, nowadays is a highly specialised science, and efficiency is only to be attained by a long course of study and training. It was chiefly for tho want of trained officers such as we havo now obtained from England that the old Volunteer force, containing somo of tho best material the Empire could produce, languished and failed. Ono of tho best features about tho officers who havo been imported temporarily to help us-carry out this great work, is tho ready manner in which they havo adapted themselves to colonial conditions, and thoir entire absence of "side." It is, of course, exceedingly snobbish to put on airs, and to affect the "superior person," but w© vonture to say that thero is less of this kind of snobbery among tho English officers in tho Defence Force than thero is among the "nonveaux riches" of civil populaton. And thero is even a worso kind of snobbery than that of putting on airs; it consists of that morbid vanity and self-consciousness which is never at ease, and which is always looking for slights whore nothing of the sort it intended. When General Sir lan Hamilton visits us in a few weeks, tho public will ho able to soo how much has beon accomplished in a very short timo in organising tho defences of tho Dominion on a sound basis. That tho work haa boon done so well is very largely duo to the willingness and adaptability of tho men in tho ranks, but it could never havo been accomplished but for tho zealous and able services of tho officers whom the "Now Zoaland Herald" insulte. Will our contemporary never shako off its petty parochialism and look at Imperial affairs with a wider purview and a moro open mind? It is a thousand pities that a newspaper which is a credit to journalism in every other respect should look at the world outside of Auckland with tho eyes of a myope, who in addition to his defects of vision, i* jaundiced with misanthropy. The Opposition's "Game." In another column we print what most peoplo will agree with us is a most Useful contribution to current political discussion, in tho shape of an extract from An editorial in -the Dunedin "Star" on the speech of the Leader of tho Opposition. It gives U8 what wo havo been'waiting for, namely, a clear , and simple statement of th© simple and ihungry -fray in which "Liberalism" thinks.of policies, of public questions, and. 6f government. '''Liberalism" talks mechanically of tho welfare of the nation, and progress, and the good of tho people _j a whole, and all tho tt*f> of it, but this '.fa almost confessedly the patter of a party that Sees in government) only "the sweets of " offico," and in politics only a game of poker between two sets of needy and seedy spielers. It is all sot out with an almost stunning plainness by our Dunedin oontomporary. ''Nothing " more absurd," it sayg, "cart be '-' imagined" than the "edfldemnation" of Sit- Joseph Ward for having failed to disclose a policy "with which the "Liberals may make a bid for the "sweets of office." "Such an idea," it adds, "could onlj* have entered the "heads of tyros in politics." Had he announced his policy ho "would have " given his hand away, thereby show- " irig that ho lacked ono of the principal essentials of successful leadeT- " ship. . . . Policy making at this "early stago is certainly no part of "the Opposition programme." It "would be paying a poor compliment 4 " to Sir Joseph" to suppose that a man of such long experience "would be oblivious of the obligations "cast ilpou him In his present position " of Waiting and watching." This roads very like th© work of a savagely ironical pen, hut we are taking the risk of treating it as seriously meant. That assumption made, could there bo anything moro damaging to whatever ropntation "Liberalism" may ever havo had for honesty or even for simple sanity, than the disastrous implications of tho "Star's" astonishing apology for the Opposition? The Party is afraid to show its haftd! Is it politics* or poker that it is playing? Afraid of what? Its men tell us 'that tho Opposition is fighting for certain great, hilt unspecified, principles of tho highest kind, and anxious to preserve them from destruction by the Government. But they must not be set forth in a policy. Com- : non sense and tho not yet wholly forgotten tradition of British government tell Us that an Opposition has no right to exist, and, indeed, cannot' exist as a coherent and honest party, if it' is not seeking to substitute for a policy which it thinks evil a policy which it is convinced is good. It will be a new doctrine to Mr Asquith. Mr Bonar Law, Mr Balfour, and Mr Lloyd George that an "essential element of "success" in politics is a determination not to "show one's hand," a determination to conceal one's reason for being and to give no reason to the public why ono should ho supported. Indeed, any Englishman who -might read the

"Star's" apology—and it is only a full and frank amplification of what tho Opposition politicians and newspapers havo been saving—would believo that it was a discussion of politics in a lunatic asylum. Perhaps our "Liberal" friends will tell us that they dare not '"show their hand" because Mr Massey will appropriato their policy. They have themselves appropriated Reform proposals, and Reformers have been glad of it, and only a little amused. Mr Massey. however, hardly needs tho assistance- of the "Liberals." but if ho wero to appropriate tho "Liberals' " ideas, surely that ought to gratify overy "Liberal" who is honest-jnnd who really cares about policies and ideas. Government is merely tho business of gotfing things done, and to those who caro only for getting tho right things done, it matters nothing whether they are dono by Jones or Bones. We should liko to hear "Liberalism's" own explanation of its dread lest Mr Massey may do what "Liberalism" desires. In tho meantime, it is plain enough that " the welfare of tho peoplo as a whole" is not what "Liberalism" cares about, but the sweots of offico. What will it boot "Liberalism" if Mr Massey gives tho country all that tho "Liberals" desire if the "Liberals" aro unablo to enjoy tho "sweets of offico"? And so, aiming only at somehow getting somebody to help it back to power and "the "sweets" which it sampled so long and so freely, and liked so much, "Liberalism" is content to stand before the public with tho truly appalling character given to it by one of its principal interpreters. The "Liberals" will be greatly shocked and astonished next December when they learn that the public do not consider thomselves cards and counters of needy gamesters and do not share tho singular "Liberal" delusion that politics is simply poker, with "tho sweets of office" dn the pool.