Evening Post WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1939. OUR EFFORT HITHERTO

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 142, 13 December 1939, Page 10

Evening Post WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1939. OUR EFFORT HITHERTO

If we pause for a moment to take stock of our war effort, so far as it has been carried, there is much in which satisfaction, and even pride, may be taken. At the same time there are mistakes that have been made. It is not necessary to stress these, but to admit them, so that similar mistakes may be avoided in the future. The initial response of New Zealand was in keeping with the best traditions of the country. In the speeches of the Acting Prime Minister, the" Leader of the Opposition, and, later, the Prime Minister, committing the Dominion to complete support of Great Britain, the sentiment of the people was expressed, and this found further expression in the ready response of men in all branches of the fighting services when they were called on to man defence posts. A further endorsement was given in the approval by Parliament of far-reaching emergency legislation. Later, controversy arose, due, we believe, to the Government's action in inadvisedly and unnecessarily extending its prewar plan of finance control and declining to give a clear assurance that wartime produce control would be discontinued after the war.

In spite of the division thus produced, arrangements for the sale of New Zealand produce to Britain have been carried through on the vvhole satisfactorily. Dairy farmers still feel that they have not been equitably treated in the guaranteed price, but they will not allow this feeling to hinder their efforts to maintain and increase production. Farmers generally are responding to the call for greater production, but in order that they may do their best they need assistance in the supply of labour. The Government is endeavouring to meet this in. its own way by transferring men and machinery to the improvement of deteriorated or poor quality land. The ultimate value of this work may be admitted, but it does not meet the more urgent need for labour for the farms that are in full production. Attention to this part of the problem would produce immediate results, and it is quick results that are wanted now, both for the war effort and to ease the difficult position arising from the sterling

While production may be of great importance, however, this war, like all wars hitherto, will finally be won by man-power. Even with the| highest degree of mechanisation, the man behind the gun, in the tank, or in the plane is the deciding factor. What is our record in man-power supply? In some respects it is excellent. New Zealanders in the Royal Air Force have won laurels for themselves and the Dominion. A splendid response has been made to the call to young men for the Empire Air Force, and a praiseworthy organisation for training has been established. In recruiting the first echelon of the Special Military Force also, and in its mobilisation and training, the traditions of Anzac were maintained. But it is less satisfactory to find that, Avithin possibly a few weeks of the time when the men of the second echelon will be needed, the recruiting response lags. This question was raised by a correspondent yesterday, and the Minister of Defence, in reply, said that the Government was anxious to obtain additional recruits to secure the required number of men for the second echelon and was taking active steps in that direction.

The nature of those active steps was not disclosed. We think they should be. The lag in recruiting is not attributable, we feel convinced, to any disinclination on the part of men of military age to perform a national duty. In part it may have been attributable previously to doubt whether the Special Force would be required for service abroad; but this doubt has now been removed by the announcement that the first echelon will go overseas. The factor now delaying recruiting is a feeling on the part of the men themselves that the voluntary system does not assure equal service and sacrifice, and that the Government should accept the responsibility of calling up men. Sooner or later this will have to be done if the war lasts long (and we must be prepared for a long war) and NeAv Zealand is honourably to discharge her com* mitments and obligations by placing and maintaining a division in the field. Mr. Coates referred lo the subject the other day in expressing the opinion that the only way of ensuring the. required number of men for the Special Force and its reinforcements was to have compuN sory training in the Territorial

Force. He was not urging conscription at the present stage, he said, though that must seem inevitable to many people if the voluntary system was not satisfactory. The issue, we are convinced, must be faced and faced quickly. When camps and training staffs are ready the men will be needed, and machinery for national registration and orderly mobilisation cannot be perfected in a few days. The indications are plain, we believe, that the men who will serve themselves

prefer a system of conscription ensuring that all should accept the duty of service, and they are waiting for the Government to bring this into

operation