The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, January 5, 1940. NEW ZEALAND’S PART.

Grey River Argus, 5 January 1940, Page 6

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, January 5, 1940. NEW ZEALAND’S PART.

The belief of the Prime Minister that the young men of the Dominion will respond to the call of patriotism is being already exemplified in the renewed spurt in enlistments. One district has already exceeded its quota ol fit men for the Third Echelon, and others, including this district have during the past few days begun rapidly to make up their leeway. The immediate need is simply that of sufficiently making known to those who are eligible thp npcessitv io maintain an even.

steady influx into the ranks. Where this has been done, as by the march at the capital of the forces now on the eve of going overseas, more have hastened to follow in their footsteps. Th? factor which makes the prospect for the volunteers an improvement on that offered during the last Avar is the determination of the Government that soldiers this time shall have much greater consideration shown them by the State. Additional to their ordinary pay, the rate of which has been the subject of laudatory, not to say envious, comment oversea, there is now to be provision for extraordinary grants, equal

at the maximum to £3 weekly, in order to meet obligations to dependents, or to creditors in connection with the acquisition oi homes or businesses, or insurance policies, or other debts, to which the regular allowances may be unequal while.the, men are away. There are many with not the remotest liability to be called up in the event of conscription who have been loud in their advo racy of conscription. They have not, however, been heard advocating’ equality, of sacrifice, nor have they shown any enthusiasm over the Government’s determination’to implement such a policy. It is no time to count the cost where the soldiers are concerned., except that if the number in training should be augmented in advance of actual requirements the ultimate war debt will be increased to that extent. When those who claim to speak for farmers are shouting dissatisfaction at the rate of profit obtained in supplying the war needs which they are able to supply, it is not, to say the least, an ideal form of encouragement for young.men to place themselves in the firingline. It will be mostly from the ranks of those with no superfluity of wealth that the expeditionary force -will be drawn, thus it will make for justice when there is in power a Government which, while guaranteeing payable

prices for supplies of material to the producers or exporters, is determined to guarantee the actual! fighters a square deal as well. It is not exactly a bad sign., either, when the war effort comes in for criticism from quarters proclaiming that they are opposed conscientiously to war. in any shape or form. As a rule these people are thinking, mainly of the right to life as possessed by themselves when they imagine ■they are thinking mainly of that right as it inheres in those whe are fighting on the side of the enemy. What gives the thought so much ascendancy as to prompt a collective proclamation is probably the approach of a time when the collective aspect of fighting against the enemy is felt to have a greater application to the individual Likewise, the

Prime Minister has drawn the exporters attention to the fact that the men at sea who are carrying on the struggle, either in naval or mercantile eraft, demand no rise in' pay when their work is essential to secure any pay at all for those with goods to transport for sale. As it happens, the exporters here are guaranteed their price even should their exports be lost, but if those goods failed to reach their destination, then the rest of the community is liable to find the guarantee. The liability on the rest of the community, however, to give the soldiers, sailors and airmen a - guarantee is surely not less than to give one to the exporter? It is

only right and proper, indeed, that the recruiting movement should have an environment such as will accord due honour to the soldier. The point in his ease is not simply that he will be better satisfied, if today his remuneration is better than it used formerly to be. The point is that lie places his life at stake, and is ready to take the extremes! risk, for safety of others. It is a sacrifice, actual and potential, needing iitth in the way ol rhetoric or other embellishment to set it in its true and most honourable, light. Yet the es teem and admiration which it actually does inspire ought to be given a tangible and appropriate manifestation by all who share those sentiments. That is reall) the idea underlying the action of all who have lamented the absence of such a display of en thusiasm among the community hitherto as regards recruiting. There is really no suggestion of just working up a merely theatrical atmosphere in the calculation that it may induce more enlistments. People, instead, will be well advised to symbolise in outward expression at every suitable opportunity the feelings of goodwill and regard which they honestly and almost universally entertain for the men who are undertaking the great and glorious, if self-sacrilic'iig, duty of. defending not only the rights and possessions hut also the lives ol their compatriots generally. Bearing in mind the insperation for'the young men of the country which is to be derived from enthusiastic public . displays of gratitude and esteem for the soldiers of the dominion, the people will all realise how they can second the recruiting campaign by taking, and keeping up lively interest in the volunteers, and by doing all possible for them. . . . .