"BE PREPARED!"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1937, Page 17

"BE PREPARED!"

TODAY'S WATCHWORD

AIMS OF DEFENCE LEAGUE

DEMOCRACY'S FIGHT

The necessity for making preparations for war was stressed by the Hon. W, Perry, M.L.C., last night,, when, as provisional Dominion president of the New Zealand Defence League, he outlined the aims of the league to a small gathering at a public meeting held at Upper,Hutt last night. Mr. Perry was given a sympathetic hearing, and at the conclusion of his address plans were made for getting the league established in the district. Mr. Perry said it was an anachronism—indeed, almost a challenge to Christianity itself—that in the enlightened twentieth century there should still be the need for armed forces, but twenty-three years ago the nations of the world still found it necessary to resort to war, and war was just as much a danger today. The avarice and lust for power in nations and individuals was still unsuppressed. In 1930, said Mr. Perry, he was one of a deputation which waited on the then Prime Minister and urged that better steps be taken to defend the Empire, which was thought to be in danger. There was just as much reason today to think that the Empire was in danger. Europe was full of inflammable material, and a sudden explosion might set a great war under way. A fierce civil war was raging in Spain, and the conflicting forces represented Com ; munists and Fascists. Representatives of other nations were fighting on both sides, and the situation was fraught with danger. The post-war period was one of broken treaties, said Mr. Perry. The tearing-up of treaties was not so much an exception as a commonplace. He outlined the treaties broken since the Great War. Until Great Britain commenced her re-armament programme a few months ago, said Mr. Perry, her voice had lost much of its influence in the council of nations. Our very weakness was provocative of war. In 1917 Britain was very near to starvation, and if another war occurred the other nations would strike at the trade routes and try and prevent food supplies reaching the Homeland. Britain was now feverishly trying to build up the strength of its Air Force and spending a sum on it which would have seemed fantastic some time ago. The gravity.of the situation could be seen when it was realised that eminent British statesmen who were formerly pledged to collective security 'had abandoned it, and a programme of rearmament had been commenced. When it was announced that Britain had embarked on a £300,000,000 re-arma-ment programme, said Mr. Perry, he had prophesised that it would-not be found sufficient, and the .latest information available was that £1,500,000,000 —a stupendous sum—-would be spent on defence./ The recruiting strength had beeiiJfnproved in Britain during the last few months. TWO OPPOSING SYSTEMS. If another war came, said Mr. Perry, it might not so much be between two countries as between the opposing systems-of democracy and autocracy or dictatorship, as seen in countries like Italy and Germany.. It had. been said that the Defence League-was a Fascist organisation, but this was grossly untrue, and he quoted from a speech in "Hansard" in support of this statement. The Defence League -was still in its provisional stages. It was a non-political organisation and had no connection with the National Party. The league had not been formed to oppose the Government. Until recently, said Mr. Perry, the defence of New Zealand was in a i deplorable state. Our Air Force was negligible and our contribution per head towards naval defence was not what it should be. We had a paper; strength of about 8000 in the territorials, but its effective strength was only 25 per cent., or 2000. He took off his hat, he said, to the officers and men of the territorial forces who had battled on for years. Mr. Perry warmly congratulated the Government on the air defence programme recently announced. In conclusion, Mr. Perry stated that the suppprters of „ democracy might yet have to fight for it. He had been called a' warmonger and a scare-monger,-but he did not want to see another war. The big thing was to be prepared. If Britain had been prepared the last war might have taken a different course very early. It was most important that there should be trained men in the air and territorial forces. • QUESTIONS ANSWERED. At the conclusion of his address Mr. Perry answered a number of questions. In reply to a question as,to whether the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) had given the Defence League a sympathetic hearing, Mr. Perry said that when the league interviewed him he was not altogether unsympathetic, but he was not ?.s sympathetic as had been expected. However, he had been very favourably impressed with two points on the league's plaftorm—(l) the steps proposed to improve the physique of the nation and (2j the encouraging of employers to let their employees go to camp. Apart from that, he did not think the league could be of much assistance. Mr. Perry said he did not know' if the Minister was of the same, opinion today. Another speaker remarked that Mr. Perry's facts were indisputable, and the aims and objects of the league were worthwhile, but he asked how it was proposed to get recruits. Mr. Perry said that employers could be approached to let their employees off to attend camp and raise the difference between the territorial pay and their ordinary pay while they were in camp. The Automobile Association in England allowed its employees an extra fortnight's holiday each year on full pay, provided they took part in some form of national defence training.

The questioner remarked that the physique of the recruits had been destroyed during the depression years. "Couldn't the Government carry out the aims of the Defence League by forming a national reserve?" asked another member of the audience.

"I dare say it could, but if we can assist the Government in doing that job all the better," replied Mr. Perry. Mr. A. J. McCurdy (Mayor), who presided, said that there were many in the district who were sympathetic towards the aims- of the league, and steps would be taken to get the league established.

Several members were enrolled. Mr. Perry was thanked for his address. __