THE DEFENCE LEAGUE
(To the Editor.)
Sir. —Xour correspondent resents my disinclination to bring the soldier "private" under my condemnation of militarism. If he is a student of international affairs he will know that wars are not made so much by "privates" as by elder statesmen and army colonels, and that in,the main the unfortunate "private" has to do the slogging in the trenches and bear the brunt. My reference to the Defence League as being another type of Fascist organisation has been extended by your correspondent to include "Communist organisation." I said nothing of the sort, and "Jack Blunt" must have a weak case if he has to manufacture his own obstacles.
Your correspondent is unaware of a powerful wave of peace sentiment which is sweeping so many countries. It may surprise him to know that this sentiment is growing even, in militaristic countries. The ordinary man in France ,is opposed to war,' and the new Government nationalised armaments .as one means of curbing the power of the waif-makers. Ninety per cent, of newspapers in France are owned by armament firms. As regards Great Britain the peace ballot reveals the strong peace movement. The sentiment in Russia is all for peace, but the army is strong to resist German attacks. Germany is militaristic, although a large body of opinion is for peace. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and-Holland are peace minded, as are America and Canada. The military party are in power in Italy and Germany, supported by the large industrialists, and hence the dictators are warlike. Again I repeat that the formation of a military party in New Zealand under the title of Defence League is undesirable and unnecessary. It is the duty of Governments and not of unofficial private organisations to arrange for adequate defence. The formation of leagues of a "military or semi-military' nature is a danger, as the tendency in other countries has been to supersede and not to co-operate with democratic governments.—l am. etC" ANTI-WAR.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 85, 7 October 1936, Page 16
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329THE DEFENCE LEAGUE Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 85, 7 October 1936, Page 16
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