ADEQUATE DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 28, 2 August 1934, Page 11

ADEQUATE DEFENCE

R.S.A. RESOLUTION

PACIFIST PROPACAMDA

"This executive reaffirms and strongly supports the resolution of tho New Zealand Eeturned Soldiers' Association conference in connection with the,necessity for tho preparation for adequate military defence," was the wording of ,a resolution passed unanimously by the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association executive last night. .

It was stated . that the executive wished to dissociate itself from, the attitude recently taken up by the Christchurcb K.S.A.

The chairman, Colonel A. Cowles, remarked that the resolution of the conference of the N.Z.E.S.A. was not at all a fire-eating one, but a sensible one, hoping for peaeo, and showing willingness to work with those who worked for peace, but at the same time being unwilling to go unarmed.

Colonel Cowles referred to the remark of a Christehurch archdeacon to tho effect that ifxEngland went down without fighting she wouia go down in a "blaze of glory." "I like to hear that stuff," said Colonel Cowles, "because we know where such people stand. They would throw all to the winds for tho sake of an ideal."

Tho Rev. W. Bramwell Scott said that one did not like to take away liberty of opinion from anybody, but people should honour the country to which they belonged. The Christchurch association was givpn tho opportunity of ventilating its views at the conferonco, but the resolution of tho conference was carried unanimously.

Oolonol McQuarrie, moving the resolution set out above, saia that the position today was far more dangerous than when tho conference passed its resolution. They had only to read the speeches of English statesmen to realiso that frontiers wore harrowed by aerial pamphlets, and that the position was far more acute. There was tho possibility that danger in Europe might tie tho British Fleet to British waters without the aid which was giveu formerly by a Japanese alliance.

Mi*. Bramwell Scott referred to the insidious dangers of propaganda which was constantly being carried on, and the need for the public being made aware of the stand of the B.S.A.

The resolution was carried