DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22717, 23 May 1939, Page 8

DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT

Call to Able-Bodied

Men

MEASURES FOR

EMERGENCY

Policy of Government

Made Clear

[THE PRESS Special Service.]

WELLINGTON, May 22

An appeal for volunteers for military units, and for other able-bodied men to join the national military reserve for the defence of New Zealand, was made by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in a broadcast address to-night. He asked for men for the regular forces and for the territorial army, the peace establishment of which is to be increased from .9509 to 16,000.

Mr Savage appealed also for 250 men for service in the special reserve for coast defence work, and to every able-bodied man from 20 to 55 years to register in the national military reserve. From those offering their services in this reserve, 5000 with previous military experience are to be selected as a reserve to the territorial units. In a national emergency they would be called up to bring the territorial peace establishment up to war strength.

Reference was also made by Mr Savage to the international situation, and what had already been done to strengthen the New Zealand defence organisation. He said strength and vigilance were a condition of survival. Apart from the defence of its own shores, New Zealand had responsibilities extending far into the Pacific. If disaster came either from a civil or military point of view, New Zealand would not be paralysed because of any lack of preparedness. The opinion was expressed by Mr Savage that for a long lime a world war would remain an ever-present possibility. New Zealand, he said, should try to insist that a peace conference be held before, and _ not after, another great war. If Britain were involved in a general war this country could not. and would not, stand aloof and enjoy undisturbed neutrality. “No New Urgent Crisis” “I am speaking to-night in terms more solemn perhaps than any that J have hitherto used,” said Mr Savage; “but I wish to make it clear that no new urgent crisis of which I am aware but you are not, compels me to speak. I give you my personal assurance that though the Government of New Zealand is being kept fully informed by the British Government of what is going on in the ■world, I have no secret or confidential information that tells me of a stale _ of emergency. Tito international situation is j bad: but I have no special reason for j believing it is any worse than it has j been for some time past. I am one j of those who refuse to believe that | a general war is inevitable. I say i “genera! war” deliberately, because i none of us can shut our eyes to the j fact that a war on an extensive scale is at Hus very moment being waged, and that another has just concluded. “Just when hostilities in the FatEast will cease, none of us can tell; hut wc do know that from such conflicts as those flames may at any lime leap into other countries, including our own. None the less, in spite of that danger, in spite of the frantic competition . m armaments among countries not at war. in spite the clashing of what arc called ideologies of rival ambitions and nationalisms among the peoples of the world, in spite of rivalries for markets one. territory, I still believe it possible even yet to avert a mutter world war. Possibility of tV.tr "But (he task «f wnliU H will not be easy, nor will il lie achieved in a da}’, a moil tit. or a year. 1 tear tnal IBr ;•* i in.'-',' time to come a world war will remain an ever-present uonnbiliiy. i (Toilers it, is with a sense of bUUr diiiiluHm men t that I say those tilings. I admit I was one oi those who thougnl the”horrors of Hie Great War, taking as it did millions of men mto the valley of death, ana the untold ciufering and sorrow it brought upon the human race, had laugnt the world a lesson (hat would not be forgotten, at least in our lifetime. I believed that in and through the League of Nations a new way of international life had been found. I ant not ashamed of bavino- believed that, nor am I ashamed to own the belief that to the League idea mankind must and ultimately will return. But. believing all that as I do, I am forced to observe tnat throughout the world power politics are in full blast once again with an intonsitv never known before. It is idle for us to pretend that the world is other than it is. Lei us in Gods name do all that we can to restore a reign of sanilv, good faith. and law; but let ns realise that merely drearning of a hotter world will not bring it to pass nor does it offer us much prospect ut surviving in the world as it is. With a regret and reluctance that I cannot express in words, I say we must recognise that the world as we hoped H would be. and as for a long tune it bade fair to becoming, does not exist to-dav. Strength and vigilance are the conditions of survival in this state of things With world peace in danger, ond continuing in danger elementary common sense warns us to oe ready at any time to defend oureslves witn ar “Let me make this very clear. , Let no one imagine that if Britain were involved in a general war this counXtv -would or could stand aloof, enjoying undisturbed neutrality. Any attempt on our' part to pursue such a policy would bring us not greater safetv but greater danger. _ It would merely sever us from our kinsmen and friends, without conciliating aggres sers We could not stand aside wrU arms folded while cur brethren in the British Commonwealth were fighting for their lives. Any such belief would be a dream as idle as it is unworthy of ns If we in New Zealand are to be readv to defend ourselves in a war which may come upon us with tne suddenness of an earthquake, what are

we to do? The answer is, we must prepare ourselves, one and all, to be able at a moment’s notice to concentrate our energies on the business of the nation’s defence, of which the paramount requirement will be the capacity in our men to take up weapons of war and use them skilfully, confidently, and effectively against any aggressor that may come against us. “But to do this our men must be trained in the use of arms and in the varied movements and manoeuvres _ of war. There are many ways in which service can be given. That training cannot be given or gained in a day, least of all the day when the enemy is at the gate. “Filling the Gaps” “The first call 1 wish to make is for volunteers to fill gaps in the regular forces, which provide whole-time employment. The regular personnel are the ‘key-man,’ responsible for the training of the territorial army, its organisation, training, and equipment. The second appeal is for our first line of land defence, the territorial army. We are raising the strength of the territorial force to 16,000, and 6000 flee citizens are required to bring the for ce up to its peace establishment. The mounted rifles and battalions drawn from the country areas will be restored to full strength, while other arms of the service will be given a higher peace establishment, “My next appeal is for 200 men for service in the special reserve. We have been training men in this category for two years. We are building up an efficient coast artillery organisation to man the coast defences, and protect our main ports. Men in this category are required at short notice in an emergency, and it is necessary for them to carry out a longer peiiod ot training, this being for five months, portion of which is vocational training to assist them when they return to a civil occupation. , . . , “Lastly, the Government has decided to accept offers for service from all able-bodied men between 20 and 5a years of age to register in a national reserve, While I am speaking. I have before me two enrolment cards, one issued bv the Army Department, under instruction from the Government, and (he other issued by the New Zealand Defence League (a private organisation), which can only cause comusion in the minds of those who wish to enrol. May I appeal to the New Zealand Defence League to wahdiaw their cards, and support the Government scheme? From those offering (heir services, 5000 with previous military experience will be selected us a reserve to the territorial units and would, in a national emergency, bo called up in order to bring the peace establishment of the territorial atm} up to war .strength. I appeal to the men of this country to offer themselves forthwith, while there os still lime lot training in the art of war. “I ask all able-bodied men between 20 and 55 years of age to go to the nearest post office or dclcnce office and fill in the cards to receive this training when called upon. This does not mean that men will be separated from their families and occupations tm loim periods of time. Arrangements can and will be made to avoid that, and to see that young men arc not deprived of their Saturday sporting activities. In order that thcic may be no room for misunderstanding, let me sav very clearly that the training to which I am now summoning our physicallv fit men is training for home defence--that is, defence of New Zealand in New Zealand. It is with a view to repelling attacks against muown shores that I ask them to prepare themselves. 1 am not asking j them to go to Weir; but to bo prepared, if war comes to them. There is no bettor way in which wc could help Britain. I need not waste time in arguing that New Zealand is woith defending. “Our people enjoy a standard of life that is nowhere excelled, and perhaps nowuorc else equalled. We hope, not merely to maintain that standard, but also to raise it steadily higher by increasing our national production as I know we can. But an invasion of our shores might shatter beyond repair all that our "forbears and wc ourselves have so laboriously built up. You know how near to my heart is social security, with all that it implies for the welfare of our people; but I tell you social security and an increasing standard of life without national security is a dream that cannot be realised. “In the work of trainmg our young men we shall have enthusiastic and competent instructors. Wc have many able officers on the active list, and in addition to them we have thousands of returned soldiers whose experience will be available to us, and who will be with us to a man. For trained men wc have arms and ammunition. The Government will provide these, as it will also provi'ie aeroplanes and the varied equipment of an army; but the Government cannot provide nun to bear and use these arms. Only the people can do that. Repelling Attacks “To those who have already offered (heir services, and who have been serving in the territorial army, I extend my warmest appreciation. 1 would also appeal to every individual residing in the Dominion to support those who voluntarily give their service:; (o their country. All who come forward with offers of service deserve the highest praise, and I feel confident that the people of New Zealand will not be found wanting in g.vmg support to my appeal. In some countries (here is a widespread belief that democracy lacks the strcmffT and courage ;,> <,ou?r.(l itself; that it x; too ... >f indulgent. !i>o much ci.vided i;v domestic d:f*crencc.s; o;o apa(hi tic, lea ahicmsi;, and leo v 'ILL to discipline itself for the sicnim- tasks of life. To Mi tiiat I give Ihc lie direct, 1 say with profound conviction that democracy c.ui bo ti listed to do and to do freely and quickly what is nuvssmy fm- bs scif-prcserva-tion. In times of danger, threatened ar. well as actual. Iho ranks df democracy close up, and domesffe differences which in times of peace arc as desirable as they are inevitable among free men, disappear for the duration of the common oeril. The defence of New Zealand is not a party matter. It is the duiv of all. Herein none are for party, but all are for the State. “The adequate defence of our country is within the compass of our united endeavours. This country may have to be defended, and soon. It is supremely worth defending. It can be defended and if attacked (as it may be) it is going to be defended. Make no mistake about that. Therefore. I say again to our manhood, Maori and pakeha alike in factory, farm. shop, office, everywhere, *nrol and be ready. Don t wait to see what your neighbour is doing Meet him at the post office and enrol together. The Government is doing and is anxious !o continue, doing its part. It waits only for you hj, offer yourselves. No niun must bo elllowed' to suffer hardship by giving up time for training, whether in camp or i nut of it. Nor will the crafts of peace be neglected during the period of (raining in the art of war. In our carnos the men who need and wish it will receive training in the many and varied activities of a citizen at peace. Fne Government is thinking alHhe time in terms of citizens, the citizens of to- ! morrow as well as of to-day. Its onL purpose in urging you as it does urge vou to fit yourselves for war is to ensure, as far as it humanly can, tnat war shall not destroy you. “The Government wishes New Zealand to be so strong and to be known to be so strong that any would-be aggressor will realise that an attack upon us is not worth his w’hile. A strong'man armed, and in these latter days particularly, only a strong man armed, keepeth his goods and lives, and the honour of those near and dear to him in peace. In the words of our national poet: Peace, not war. shall be our boast, But should foes assail our coast Make us then a mighty host. God defend our free land.