dftttmng post

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 83, 6 October 1915, Page 6

dftttmng post

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1915. DANGERS OF DELAY , Letters from the firing lines of Gallipoli have conveyed one word which shonld touch the conscience of every man here who is able to enlist. That word is "Help." The soldiers at the front need help. The ranks have to be maintained at the full strength. The despatches o£ General Godley have always stressed the importance of adequate reinforcements to assure a maximum of efficiency for existing units — and a time of difficulty has come- In the early days of the war the recruiting was easy. Young men, eager for service, keen to fight for home and country, volunteered for the front and chafed at any delay. Thousands of these l highspirited men, free for duty, 1 have followed other thousands, and now there is evidence 1 that the supply of that kind of volunteer is limited. New Zealand has still many thousands of single men, suitable for active service, and, many of these will agree 'to enlist if they are convinced that their help is needed. They are not losing themselves in a haze and maze of hesitation, but they are in a deliberative mood. They are inclined to discount 'the appeals and arguments of enthusiasts, but they are amenable to reason. They have no desire to fight for fighting's sake ; they see no glory in war, and they are not thrilled by the glamour of arms, but they are willing to do their duty by their country, if they are satisfied that their aid is required. The casualty lists from Gallipoli should be sufficient evidence, but there is ample proof that the lengthening lines of the wounded and the dead have not yet given New Zealand a proper appreciation of the war. More has to be done by press and by platform, but if this work is 'to be effective some intelligent planning and recognition of facts are essential. It would be deplorable to have a helterskelter 'to platforms by all manner of well-meaning pleaders. It is urgently necessary to consider well the truth that a man who is in a mood of meditation, if not hesitation, will not be moved to Gallipoli by the platitudes of a monotonous, "tiresome speaker. No doubt, the average member of the House of Representatives will gladly volunteer for the front of a platform, but unfortunately that average member is not an inspiring, galvanic orator. He has not the aptitude nor the training to move mountains of ignorance, apathy, hesitation, caution, calculation, or indifference. The number of politicians suitable for an effective recruiting campaign (by the spoken word) could be counted on one hand. Probably that mysterious force of "public " opinion" will be the best recruiter. Woman's influence will give hesitating men a true sense of their manhood's duty. A time is coming when every man fit and free for service will have the feeling— he cannot fail to have it — that he will lose the right to respect, lose everything which can give a man a joy and pride in living, if he declines to register for* service on behalf of his country. At this point it has to be written that the duty of every ablebodied man is not in the firing lines, but it is the duty of everybody to be linked up with the war-winning. The national register ie necessary for an accurate allocation of the various duties, and this computation should be done as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, recruits — not for new units, but to maintain existing units, in accordance with New Zealand's obligations, are urgently needed. This is a time of test for the voluntary principle. If a well-planned campaign fails to produce the numbers of men required, the Government will be obliged to adopt other means to enable New Zealand to continue taking a worthy part in the Empire's defence.