THE GREAT WAR

Evening Star, Issue 16050, 29 February 1916, Page 5

THE GREAT WAR

ARE WE DOING OUR DUTY? , - The British Empire has now been wa.g.jng a world-wide wnr for more than 18 months. How far has New Zealand, as a part of the Empire, done- its national duty during that awful time’- 'Let us face the foots. Are wo ’as a community taking our shore iu tho war? Are w© striving, by every means in our power, to bring tho devastating conflict to an early and successful close ? These are questions which, alas! must be answered in the negative by every thinking New Zealander. Our path of duty lies clear before ns. It is a threefold one—to help Great Britain to the fullest possible extent with men, with money, and with munitions of war. Let us consider how far wo have discharged our collective duty iu each and all of these respects ; 1. As regards men, we have sent to* tho seat of war some 30,000 citizen-soldiers, who have done groat deeds for tho Dominion and the Empire. We are now striving, by voluntary effort, to keep up regularly tho necessary numbers to make good the wastage of war. It has of late become increasingly _ evident that some form of compulsion is even now essential to success, but no move in that direction has been made by our leaders. The people of Now Zealand arc ready for qpnscnption, but tho Government appear to bo afraid to act. Our force in the field must be kept up to full fighting strength. It is already small enough. In proportion to population, we have found for the army only one man for every three that Great Britain has so far provided! And this is quite apart from tho British Navy, which alone (in the last resort) stands between us and national disaster. Towards the Navy we are contributing nothing beyond the small subsidy given by us in years of peace. Is this enough at such a’time? 2. Our record regarding money is much worse than our tale of men. We know that Britain is now spending on the Avar over £5,000,000 a day—a colossal tusk that is straining to the uttermost even its vast financial resources—and yet vve are content to borrow from the hard-pressed British Government the Avhole of our war expenditure (sane £8,000,000) by monthly instalments of £600,000 cacTT. Why is this shameful course pursued? Is Now Zealand short of money? Quito the contrary. Largely orviiig to the great war itself, the Dominion never was so prosperous. For our exports last year Ave received more than £5,000,000 In excess of Avhab.wo got in 1914, and about £9.500,000 Wore, than in 1913 ! And yet, forsooth, our Minister of Finance is content to ‘'sponge” on London for the Avhole cost of our share of the Avar. No effort has been made to tax war profits or to raise a Avar loan locally. Canada, Australia, and even India arc paying their oAvn war expenses. Why should Now Zealand alone .earn the disgraceful distinction of being a drag on tho sorely-burdened Mother Country? We recently raised Avith case a of £2,000,000 for “Public Works.” What is there to prevent us raising a Avar loan within the Dominion? Nothing but the supineness or timidity of our public men. Again the people are Avilling, but the Government fail to act. 5. Of munitions of war, strictly speaking, New Zealand produces very little. But Ave do province in abundance wool, dairy produce, and frozen meat, for all of Avhich the allied armies arc crying out in unlimited quantities. It is true that avc are proA-iding Great Britain (and France) Avith millions of pounds’ Avorth of these commodities. But on Avhat terms are avc thus “helping” the Empire and her Allies with munitions of war? At the highest available prices, and for strict spot, cash/ Neutral nations could do no bettor—for themselves. Surely avc might supply tho British Government with some portion at least of our aa - 001, cheese, and frozen meat an credit—e.c., tako payment therefor in debentures of the huge war loans issued by Great Britain. This would be a groat and instant relief to Britain in. her present straits, and Avould prove no loss to us in the end. This is indeed a sorry record for a great Dominion : that it should enrich itself in time of Avar at the expense of the Mother Country! The plain outstanding - fact is that Now Zealand is not doing her share in the Avar. We are shirking our national dnty. Oirr Avomenfolk have clone hard and useful Avork for the Army and the refugees. But, apart from th.e -lyr-ave lads "who have voluxiteeTed (and their immediate relatives) and the nyenvorked Minister of Defence and his. ilaff. the men of this Dominion have, nwde no sacrifice, have incurred no suffering, throughout a war that is in effect being fought for us by Great Britain and her Allies. At the same time, the nvorage man here ia quite willing - to be taxed, is apparently resigned to compulsion; but the powers that be are doing nothing. Surely it is the bonnden duty of our political leaders to call Parliament together forthwith, and to pass the necessary legislation for (1) compulsory service, (2) taxation of Avar profits, (3) an internal loan to cover the cost of the Avar in whole or part, .and (4) selling to the Mother Country soma of our surplus produce for credit in place of cash. Until some or all. of these things have been actually done, one Avoukl imagine that our Ministers would be ashamed to proceed to London to discuss on the footing of equality terms of peace or any other question relating to tho Avar.—fContributecl.]