WARS AND HOME DEFENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 22383, 6 July 1936, Page 11

WARS AND HOME DEFENCE.

TO THE EDITOII. Sir, —It is to be hoped that “Be Ready ” is not a typical example of New Zealand patriotism. _ If the horrible eventualities he outlines were publically believed to be at all possible, New Zealand in the course of a few -months would become absolutely depopulated, the anxious inhabitants scurrying for safety to ' larger and better defended countries, 1 should like to ask “Be Ready ” why he drags Esthonia, Abyssinia, Palestine, and the Rhineland into the matter. The references are quite irrelevant. Those regions have, ever since the mind of man conceived the idea of war, been scenes of turbulence and strife, and so, can in way be alluded to as parallel cases to New Zealand. If we regard the question of home defence logically we shall see how utterly futile any attempts at the (prevention of invasion would be. Besides the decided lack of man power our mobile units, artillery and Air Force, are not and could never be strong enough to withstand a determined aggressor. The idea of an armed force making a surreptitious landing on any one of our undefended beaches is only ridiculous. An invader, armed as he undoubtedly would be, with the latest thing in naval gunnery, could stand off any of our coastal towns and safely demand surrender. Anything in the nature of defence or reprisals on our part would be suicidal. That “ Be Ready ” was influenced by a sensational battle picture lie saw shortly after the Great War depicting the alleged atrocities committed by our late antagonists admirably demonstrates his state of mind as regards invasion. His main concern appears to be for the safety of his own skin.

However, despite the apparent helplessness of our position, even alarmist “ Be Ready ” has failed to give any reason for a projected invasion of our fair land. I fail to see, therefore, any need for New Zealand citizens to desert their country yet.—l am, etc., Julv 4, Optomist.