NATIONAL DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1936, Page 8

NATIONAL DEFENCE

(To the Editor.) Sir—The letter .of your correspondent signing himself "Anti-war" isstrong eviderice in favour of the New Zealand -Defence League. , This organisation exists as a means, of affording our people an opportunity to thoughts on the vital question of defence, and "Anti-War" shows how much this is required. While he affirms that "the aim of New Zealand should be to maintain an adequate .defence of this country" he yet attempts to discredit the league which is working With this object in view. I heard the speech of the Hon. W. Perry and know that he did not promise or suggest tiie sending of New Zealand troops to Palestine at present. His utterance was merely a'speculation that if things went badly against Britain m E gypt and the Mediterranean the Mother Country might be so embarrassed that it would be to our interest to help her with some troops. Now let me ask your correspondent a few questions:(1) Does he-know that the league is solely a citizen body? (2) Does he recognise that the ex-Army officers he refers to are just citizens as he is one: (3) What right has he to assume that any returned soldiers (officers or privates) want war? (4) Does he .no know that the Government's policy (as declared by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) is. that New Zealand offers its full co-operation with the League of Nations to the extent of poing to war for the preservation of peace (which would include going outsWe New Zealand) ? (5) Does he. fail to understand that the Zealand Defence League has the same primary object ~as» the League ol Nations and the Rotary International, fe the securing of peace? (6) Does he | think for a moment we can adequately defend New Zealand entirely from the inside? Finally, I put it to him whether the defence of New Zealand does not absolutely depend on the adequate defence of the British Empire, or if he likes the other names "British Commonwealth of Nations," "British League Sf Nations." All the quibbling about Army officers (or naval), militaristic bodies, etc., is just tosh, ''Adequate defence" just means that and nothing else Defence without army, na^ al ; and air forces is sheer nonsense. No. The New Zealand Defence League is not either semi-political or anti-political and certainly not party political. Your correspondent might have chosen a| name that is distinctive. ,We are all j "anti-war." May I put it to your cor-; respondent (and to myself) that what; we have to worry over lies in these two lines', — . ; "It is not a question of going to war But what if it comes to us?" Let us think of that is my last word.— I am., etc., - JACK BLUNT.