The Dominion SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1909. COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 4

The Dominion SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1909. COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING

One valuable feature of the recent General . Election has ao: far escaped notice. It is the great increase in the number of members of Parliament who aro committed to a definite and effective, programme of national defence.. It is not, and we trust never win be, a party, moveand, therefore, it is not surprising to find that both political parties are well represented amongst the nineteen mem•bers who are unconditionally" pledged, a,nd the further sixteen who view the movement favourably. This, however,, hardly represents the full strength of the gain. Nearly fifty of the unsuccessful candidates, including nearly all of : tho Labour and Socialist candidates,"are also in favour of the movement. Although the fortunes of political war'will prevent them from raising their voices in 1 Parliament in support of national defence, it cannot be doubted that th'oy will use their local-influence to its utmost extent. With the continued threatening of the world's peace, this question of defence becomes more truly a national question for this favoured country than any other now beforoit. It is ho longer suffioient to say "something will have to be done." Something must' be done, and that' quickly, y The PbiSie Minister has told •Hs-that the country is to have an "easy" ■time in the' matter of legislation next .session, so the way is open to giving the subject>'of this article' the full consideration that it should have. From the number of candidates, successful and other-: wise, who- aro now; favourable to compul-r sory military training, it is clear that the old confusion- which. existed .in the minds of the electors between ; it and conscription is a thing of the past, andithat thby■ recognise its, vital, importance. '.'At. present, stating the case broadly, New I Zealand is practically defenceless, For i some', years; past shb Has been spending about. a quarter of a million per annum on defence, and all she has to show for ,it. is a small and-scattered force of volunteers. Including cadets, rifle clubs,' and bandsmen, it numbered 20,000 odd in 1008-7. It was 19,000 odd in 1907-8, ■ and there is not tho slightest ground for be-, lieving. that'.'the returns for ; 1908-9. will show - any-improvement. -To this 19,000 may be added, sayi'sooo for effective exvolunteers. On the other hand, 50m0.30 or 40 per cont. must be deduoted from the grand total as representing cadets and immature youths. 1 The total supply of rifles in the colony ..does not..exceed 50,000. Tho supply of reserve ammunition would, at the 'best; last' lO,000; men, for a fortnight. There aro not -30 effective pieces of field artillery in the country,'and even fewer-gunsof position, and. . th'o' commissariat, ■ transport, 'and armjr, 'inedical departments: exist on paper ottty,.' ■.The'.'voluhtary.'system ; of : trainingy has' ■failed, and'tho country must - faea the question of 1 compulsion in one form or another.' '

1 .'The model'for' a system of universal compulsory military training is the Swiss Bystem. Under, it, Switzerland; with population erf' 3,300,000, obtains atrained . ■ army ot:2i!0)000. men on. a peace footing, ■. fully Mobilised, and tho totals cost, is £1,130,000 per annum. It also has nearly 4000 rifle clubs, with a membership.of close upon 250,000. The do-, tails 6f thft training : ,Bystom are as fol- : low I .— :. ,: : ! i-Classes)'> 'Instruction. 1. Schoolboys: • 10-16...Gymnastics: 60hours -. ' . ■ .per .annum. 2 .Yduths; i' 17-20 Preparatory., and mill-! ■ : : ' • ;tary training, phy- , sical training, sim-' ' , ~ ; plo drill,: musketry," . ?■ ; ' two annual courses ' . of 60 hours each. 3. Men .'■■■■.;SO-32 Military training,' - first year 65 days rccruits' / training; : nost seven years, 11 days' training an\Y . iiually, fivo annual 1 ~ inspections of arms ■ ' • l " of ono day each. ' 3340 Eleven days' training .. ?• ; ' (First • (consecutive), seven Reserve); days' annual inspec- |. '.. . . . tion of arms of 6ne. : day each. .5 ;' ~..y'.\ : ''"40-48 Eight days'• annual. inspection of arms . > of ono day each. Thus an infantryman devotes 173 days, .spread, over 28 years, to the defence of his country and those dear to him. For i cavalry and artillery, the. period is aboutI 20 days longer. There are no exemptions from, service, except legislators - (during ■session), executive and ;judiciary, 'clergy,? hospital. doctors, - and-'prisongovernors: - Police and railway servants, are exempt after, recruit course and three annual trainings. Those unfit for service pay a military tax, based, on income, which thus ranges from ss. to £120. There is no. barrack life worth mentioning, and rifle and kit are retained, by the soldier when not on service. The daily pay, is 3d. for ; recruits and fid. for trained: men. Every, officer rises, from the ranks by.merit, training and examination alone. . He receives longer training and, higher pay, but remains, primarily, a citizen, earning his living in business or trade, and devoting his leisure' to military study. Every citizen is free to travel and reside abroad,; but must .pay the . tax if he . wishes to remain a citizen. Mobilisation takes 24 hours, and tho whole force can . take the. field complete in every,, detail 12 hours later. . . \

The British Parliamentary Committee (1907) reported that there is no detrimental interference with the ' recruit's civil employment, save, to some extent, in the first year. But the man himself is benefited enormously in health,. stamina, and morale. His family is looked after by the eominuhoi if nccessary, while he is away. • But public opinion does not allow an employer to dismiss an employee because he is called put, and in many cases, the former pays full wages during the whole or part of the "repetition", course. But perhaps the best proof of all that service is not prejudicial to a man's civilian prospects lies in the fact that the export trade per head. is . larger . in Switzerland even, than it is in Great Britain. A recruit is. posted to the arm for which ho is considered best suited. If

unfittod for a combatant, ho is sent to tho ambulance corps. Attempts to .evade service are almost unknown. On the other hand, about 50,000 men/annually put in moro drill than is obligatory on them. The unnniraoun vordict of tho Swiss W'thoir Bystein t which is now in

its thirty-fifth year, is that it improves tho men morally, physically, industrially, socially, and nationally, and it is tho cheapest army in the world. In New Zealand this system should give 100,000 soldiers, and excluding the initial cost of artillery and rifles, etc., the annual cOBt should not oxceod £400,000. This is nearly double the present outlay, but with this difference;, that for £250,000 per annum we get little result, while for £400,000 we would secure a system which would prove a wholesome. deterrent to a hostile visit from any.nation. It is a very low rate of insurance for what practically amounts to absolute safety. Undoubtedly tho chief difficulty in adopting the Swiss system would be in making the first start, but what the Swiss can do we should be able to do. Until 1907 the re : cruit .course in Switierlahd; lasted . 45days only. A national referendum then increased the course-to 05 days. Probably 45 days would suffice for this country, but, ( as in Switzerland, the courses must be continuous. A good continuous course at an apt ago is never forgotten. Moreover, with a broken course, neither; drill nor habits of discipline are ever, learnt. If this system were adopted,, our present volunteers - would, of course) be disbanded, to form the'nucleus of tho new force, but it would be only fair tcs ■ grant, periods of exemption to past and present efficient volunteers, -' accofding to their length of service, and, if efficient, commissioned and non-commissioned -officers should retain' their present rank. ;.Wo should like to see the report of the British 'Committee issued free and broadcast as a Parliamentary Paper. This could be done boforo Parliament meets.