THE PEOPLE MUST DECIDE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 503, 10 May 1909, Page 5

THE PEOPLE MUST DECIDE.

COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING. WHAT 18 TRE CITIZENS' VIEWPOINT? A MORE EFFECTIVE DEFENCE. What is the Bimplost and most effective known form of compulsory military traininglikely to bo acceptable to tho citizens of this country? This is the main question which the' Hon. .Mr. M'Nab will keep «<; now in tho campaign ho is just starting. As one who has dbno long and good, service as; a volunteer, and as oho who has had, two years' experience as Acting-Minister for Defence, Mr. M'Nab has now become convinced, like very many otkors, that the, time! has arrived when,tho!volunteer system' must bo replaced by an easy form of uni-. versal compulsory-training, if, the dofonco ofoourr r country is to rost on. a sound basis. The'necessity for putting'.our national defence on a surer footing is recognised. It is-admitted 'that something must bo done. '..Mr.'M'Nab left for .the south on Saturday night to make arrangements for! meet-' mgsin Canterbury, lie is to deliver addrcssos at Ohristchurch, 'Ashburton, • Fcilding, Auckland,' and other, places to bo settled: later on.-■'A publio .mooting will bo held at tho Town Hall in this city, on Thursday next j and on May 24, \ Empire Day, a gathering, with the samo object, will take place at Christchuroh. ._ .' ■ ■, : -..- To -a- representative' of this journal, tho Hon. Mr. M'Nab, prior to his departure for Christchurch on- Saturday/ briefly, indicated the main points to bo emphasised in his.ad-' dresses, and the arguments ; which,' in hisopinion, should forcibly; appeal' to all patri-' otio 'citizens.''■', ; • •'•'■'',',':'; : , ; .- ■, i ''-• ...:■.■■■ '■":■.' 'A ■ . ■:■'■ .'»•■. ><■■'.• What Is Aimed At. . <

"In regard to tho defence scheme sub--mitted,"',said Mr. M'Nab," "although, it is universal—applies •to everybody—it • is ' not sanding everybody into -the army, as tho. German and French do.;' Some ■of tho countries of Europo practically'put their whole male population into the ariny—a portion of which is always' being" drilled—the, other portion /keeping in touch with it,to rush to arms at a moment's notice.''',':•'., -."Nothing'df that kind is present _in the ; minds of those advocating' a change: in New., 'Zealand. '. Speaking for myself, I' regard, tho getting of soldiers for war purposes as depending always on'a.volunteer- enrolment' when tho time cbmosj as in the cftso-'uf' South' Africa, , : 1 am only. advocating the. present scheme to''make .provision that when these men voluntarily enrol,'wo.lrnhw that'every, one of them has had,a fair training id the elements of military discipline, the-use of the rifle, co-operation with ono another; and'in'moving ovor extensive- areas ofi'.country in fighting.'_ formation. ~\ They know-what, they are;coming to. take part in,' and they bring a fair qualification for the work.. - We', aro'' on!y_ , asking, for 'universal training. The question of. service (will. al- r ways'.be voluntary, except in the, case of, a national crisis, wh'oro'the law now provides for.tho, calling out. of tho militia. ', "Sonio of thoso opposed to , tho system think wo want to force ovory one of them. to become fighting men. AVo do not. Wo: look to tho benefits to follow. First, of all, as to the men. trained, if. they .should, after.' wards volunteer; and, secondly,, the physical training which':such"...work gives to,tho na-; tion. '■■ '".-V, ;■;'''■■ ■■' '".'' ]: ' '';-'■■ ■' -v ..Bin's. Clubs.■;.'.■;■;.\v;,. : '■' : ;\<..//.. ~-;' /■"People speak about : rifl« clubs. The encouragement of rifle only been effective m. thoso countries whoro universal training has giveh'mon,a 3 tasto'for. tho'uso of the rife.' There are more nflo club •men'in Switzerland to-day with its 3J, millions of population than in Britain with over forty, millions. ' Theydo tako.it up as apastunc, in They do not in Britain,: for tho simple" reason they have: not had the training to appreciate it as a pastime. . ■ 1,.. ~ l "I:Iiavo i heard Bome'say tiiafitis sum-, cient' for, this country if; the men are given arms, and shown how to uso them. : Probably one. half,-if not;'more, of the ■ compukory,. training will : be' deroted' to that., end—tho other half consisting of the training necessary to put the man in a position.whero he can usethe rifle that ho'has'loarnod to.operato with. These two things oovor .thowhola ground, though in some cases the point is ; not.appreciated.' :; ... '?'■•■•■'. .'■•■ . AgOj and Period of Sorvlce. :■:.,■ : /' ' / ''Tho question of age must always evbko a difference of opinion.; Tho 1 younger you deal with the. men tho'less, will business be disarranged; but tho younger you deal with 'ho • men the greater, tho difficulties in the way of compulsion. The country won't stand tho ; necessary compulsion with lads practically in their teens'. ' . ' ■-. ' ~ ■'■' "Then, again, thero is,a question as, to whether the defence of the country is only a; thing to occupy tho,attention;of lads, or of adult citiuehs; L think tho latter, and regard rthe training of lads.' as .only preliminary to the training of adults. The experience of officers in Qio field is at ono on this point: that youth in soldiers can be overdone. You, want the mature man to get the best results. The; experience 'in. South Africa .brought that' homo to a wonderful extent. ;'lt v was also the experience-in tho Crimean war; and it is mentioned by authorities on warfare all the world over.' ,,; . , :'. ; .,'. ''''.■ ', ■/■_; ,' Most Consider Trade, : . '',''.':•.:- ',;■ "I recogniso', that every'. Bohomo must eon-': sider \tho question of trade. But wo must ; consider tho question of trado fememboring '.what will happen .to -trade if the people aro. ; not ready for,war,when it comes,".:... '■. ';■■.-' "Is it too great an insurance premium to. ask that at 19,.0r at 17, 18, or 19, at tho : Man's option,-he is to put aside ono month of. his time to. got the basis of, his instructiinj and for two or three years afterwards/'» period of. time... not- exceeding .a' fortnight, which is'to inoludo Easter;-the bulk'of thatr, work being 'directed to. field manoeuvre*f More industrious nations than wo. are oarrv oh their industry with a far greater fax than, that.' I- mention the Swiss and the -Nprwo- '• gians with their universal'military instruc-' tion; and, of course, tho conscript nations, amongst whom, I suppose. Wo can plaoo the most go-ahoad in the world to-day. Pay During Service. ''■;.-!. v "It will never bo allowed to bo an individual loss, becauso the country, must'pay a .man: who is called but, and,"..as. tho country is getting the benefit, I cannot seb. tho objection. . I beliovo that; tho maximum interference with .business: would: bo a fourweek period one year, followed .by p fortnight oii two or three years thereafter.;' Certainly that would give us a country the volunteers from which for' Bofvice hereafter would ; bo qualified to a far'greater degree for their ( work, than they aro at the present time. ■■■■' '.'And it would do this: It would let tho nations of the world know that after having provided for tho necessary transport to bring j.a fairly strong army to;our, shores to invado us, tho work was only commencing when they landed their boats through the'surf. TJndci present conditions,-it is held: by, many, authorities that tho bulk of their task would v bo accomplished oiico thoy liad landed. : "I realise that it is a question that tho' Soople of this country must t uomBO ' TCS ecido. And they should decido it in noi haste, becauso I beliovo that great .■'consequences may follow thoir decision. Ono of the clemonts which, should bo uppermost in,, tho minds of nil, on tho genera!principle,;is: Whotlior defence is a tnin«' whioh intorcßtß overy individual in/the oommnnity: and; if so, whether they should not themselves tek* part in it, so that it can norer: bo said at any time afterwards that in their confidence" in their: old system thoy loft the work. to. a few, and the few neglected itP ' V?hen tib , time, comes for, any regrets on that head, th« time will have gono by for reform.'! A REFERENDUM SUCOESTED.

In view of the magnitude of the proposal",. involved in any system of universal compute sory training, it lß'considorod probablo thiit" tho question will be submitted to tho people's verdict' by means of a; direct vote.. It" if tuidcrstood tlmt prorain(ot membere on. bofct Bidos of tho Honso, and also' those holding' opposing viowa as to tho wisdom' of tho scheme, would wolcomo a referendum as re-, moving from tho party sphere a quostioh tha* should be above party — namely, tho 000* try's defence. :