Defence of Empire

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 266, 7 August 1934, Page 11

Defence of Empire

Sir, —The members of the Students’ Anti-War Committee do not lack selfconceit if they believe that from them are recruited those on whom the morale of an army depends; i'f ever they go to war they will receive a rude shock, as the ones who give the moral strength in every little group is seldom known till one is facing fire, then it is often a private soldier; it depends more on the nature of a man than education. e No one wants war, and probably war would be checked if the people in Germany, Russia, Italy and Japan, were allowed the freedom to criticise the armaments of those countries. Until that happens pacifists here are as dangerous to us as the armament firms. The Rev. Dr. Norwood said armaments are not the cause of war. An international commonwealth will never mature till every nation is allowed to work, mix with, and compete in all countries. In 1914 the state of the British Army and the rumours on the Continent that the Dominions were aching to break away helped to make the war possible. The pacifist theme appears tp be that Britain is the guilty and Russia the innocent. Why? I am, etc., DIALSIGHT. Carterton, August 4.