REORGANISED DEFENCE
Replying to G. H. Wilkin on reorganised defence, A. C. Barrington, writes:—"(l) I maintain that the production of instruments for the destruction of human life is not satisfying a human need, Mr. Wilkin views only the worker engaged; but eyen on a numerical basis: the number who will be affected.by the product of the armament industry is immeasurably greater than the number engaged in that work. (2) The basis of our distribution system, however inadequate arid stupid (judged by results) is not the principle that "in order to live man must work" —at that which is intended to destroy the lives of those equally entitled to work and live.. (3) lhe glorious exploits of Scott and Oates serve to show that peaceful pursuits have scope for all the nobility, self-sacrifice, and splendid courage of which lofty souls are capable. Approving war as a training ground for th«ee is like approving an epidemic as a training ground for nurses, or an orgy of crime for training policemen. (4) My reference to "nefarious trades" dealt with the production of armaments. I admire the men who fought, or worked in the war trades with sincere conviction of-their right ness. I respect the bravery and devotion that were "displayed while deploring their waste. But surely when enlightenment does dawn, those great spirits of the past, too brave to refuse to see the truth, would be the first to acknowledge the newer vision. (5) Belgium was _ a pawn in the game of war, and treaties invoked are whitewashings, watered down by such use, of a sense of guilt. (6) Mr. Wilkin asks what we are short of as a iresult of the war. He mentions metal, Iclotbing, food. We are short by thou&j ands of millions of • crushing burdens or war debts, and these help to prevent the distribution of those things. I could name others. . . To give an affirmative answer to Mr. Wilkin's finaLstring of questions, would involve the whale population^ leaving their ordinary occupations in order to maintain New Zealand an an arsenal. If that is the way we must live, why bother.'
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 35, 10 August 1933, Page 19
Word Count
352
REORGANISED DEFENCE
Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 35, 10 August 1933, Page 19
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