Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 28th, 1920. OUT DEFENCE SYSTEM.

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 August 1920, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 28th, 1920. OUT DEFENCE SYSTEM.

Ouh legislators are at present discussing* the national system of defence. They are now of a, very democratic turn of mind, and are anxious to save money at every turn. The lessons of what is going* on in Europe are little heeded, |and men believe that it. will he many years hefo.ije (treat Britain is once more dragged into a great war. Wg trust that such will' he (lie case. No one is anxious to' see this * country’ drawn again, into a great European conflict. Legislators have a great, zeal fhrl^on-

on the Defence Department when the outlay, in proportion to tne size of tne country, seems to be very larg*e. The war has been at an end for some time, but the

number of khaki-clad figures about the streets seems very large. The people of the Dominion are not of a militaristic disposition, and their dreams do not lie in the direction of the pictures laid down in the “Prisoner of Zenda.” The glitter of showy uniforms has no attractions for them. They did their part in the war manfully, but they are not anxious to make militarism a profession. They must not, however, allow this wish for economy blind them* to the dangers that still lie before the Empire. General Chapter is a practical soldier, and he is not anxious to advance the cult of militarism. All that he desires is an efficient military force that may do its part well should any crisis arise. He points out that, so far as the Dominion is concerned, The main lessons of the war arc as follows: —

(a) An efficient army can bo quickly organised provide devery man has had a limited amount of training and there is available an ample supply of modern equipment and* highly-trained officers and non-commissioned officers. “(b) The large percentage of the manpower found by medical examination to be physically unfit for service, points to the necessity of a thorough course of physical training for all youths.”

The commandant insists upon the importance that an efficient Army must consist of highly trained officers and non-commissioned officers, up-to-date equipment and a basis of partly trained men. Mr Italian has shown, however, that great difficulty has been experienced in America and Great Britain in securing* the services of well trained officers. Civil life offers too many good opportunisms to be neglected. The true conditions of military service are now known to most men, and very few are likely to bo deceived by any glowing tples that may be held out to them. Civil service offers better chances to the man of ability. The world is undergoing a course of reorganisation, and employers are prepared to my well for the services of men of outstanding ability. Men such as these are not going to bury themselves in the Army. The chance of active service and promotion may come, lint it appears very unlikely at present. Men must, therefore, go where the Lest is offering. In Hew Zealand excellent work was done in the schools in training the lads in military drill, and it is hard to understand why the plan was dropped. The lads took a keen interest in their work, and they made splendid progress in drill. Why it was abolished no one seems really to understand. The House at present has several men who are quite conversant with the art of war, and the Dominion is therefore not likely to make any serious errors due to lack of knowledge. Colonel Mitchell, whose opinion on these matters is worth listening to, put the matter succinctly when he said that we must he prepared to defend ourselves, but that means much more than most people think. If Hew Zealand is to be prepared to defend herself'from foreign aggression she must be prepared to bold out for eight weeks at least. That might not seem a very big task, but it must be remembered that if that day of trial should come there will'he no three months’ grace given for the training of men. In his reply Sir Heaton Ehodes foreshadowed the presentation of a new scheme to the House. He gave no idea of its details, but whatever is done it is to be hoped that the cadet system is retained and that the training of a goodly supply of officers for staff work is provided for. It would seem that the scheme propounded by the Minister of Defence will mean a reorganisation rather than the elimination of the Territorial system. There is room for much improvement, especially in the development of physical training and in the elimination of unnecessary interference with the industrial and commercial life of the country, hut iu accomplishing these tilings the members of Parliament should not forget that they are dealing with an instrument that may he needed at any moment, that will be called into use at a time when it will be next door to impossible to overtake early blunders. £< ln actual war, deficiencies in training and equipment must always be paid for with men’s lives,” says General Chaytor, and his words should not go unheeded. Ho one in Hew Zealand desires to see the continuation of an expensive system, but that does not mean that the politicians, .with many nice phrases, should so prune the department ns to make it absolutely useless. Mistakes that are made to-day may be paid for with men’s lives before this generation lias passed away, and if that calamity should overtake us it is to be hoped that tbo men who made the mistakes will not be forgotten.

THE COAL INDUSTRY. The Prime Minister boasts of tbe wonderful progress tliat lias been made in the work of the session. This may or may not be the case, but it is certain tliat tbe Government has failed most lamentably . to settle tiie main domestic pro- . blem brought before it. Eor months past the coal miners and "file coal owners have been wrangling over the question of wages, and finally a settlement was thought to be arrived at. A hitch occurred, and a section of the owners refused to observe the agreement arrived at by the majority. Every effort has since been made hr effect a harmonious settlement, but the stubborn section of the\owners- will not give way. A Crisis lias again been d ■•i’A'M A ill a mill /"WO OVO VP S* ()1

mg to the- go-slow policy. This may mean little in a Uisuict lute breymouth, where coal is plentifal and wiiere there can never really be said to be a shortage, but it means very much to me unfortunates in tne cities, who, under the best of conditions, find the greatest difficulty in keeping* “the home fires burning.” it is quite a revelation to some of our West Coasters who visit Christchurch during the Pacing Carnival to see the pititabie fires that are placed before them in. inany so-called leading hotels. This _is no' fault of theriiotelkeepers, who use every effort to get in ample supplies. We can picture, therefore, the plight of many people not richly endowed with the world’s wealth, who have to pass through the winter weather under” conditions not flattering* to a civilised community. All this could be stopped if Mr Massey would show something of that backbone of which he boasts he is the possessor. Why should a section of the coal owners be allowed to defy a Government’s mandate? The matter could be settled very quickly if the Government would show the necessary firmness but unfortunately they do not do so. Several remedies lie open. The mines refusing to accept the new conditions could be taken over and worked by the miners themselves, either as State mines or on the cooperative principle. Either method would show that Mr Massey was determined to allow neither owners nor miners to defy him. The community would understand that “the squre deal” of which so much is heard at certain seasons is really a working* principle of Hew Zealand politics. At present many industries are paralysed through lack of coal. _ This has naturally roused a spirit of unrest, and the feeling has arisen among* the workers that there is one law for them and another for the capitalist. It is wrong to allow such an idea tn get abroad, and the notion should he dispelled at once. The Government should do its duty fairly and impartially to bring about a settlement that will prove pleasing* to all ;parties concerned. Ho one would like to see a resumption of the go-slow policy, but it must he admitted that the men must do something* to protect their rights.