RECRUITING APPEAL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 283, 30 November 1915, Page 5

RECRUITING APPEAL.

BY HON. DR. McNAB

EMPIRE'S URGENT NEED FOl*

MEN

AN UNBEATEN ENEMY

A vigorous appeal to the people of New Zealand to realise the vital importance of victory in the Avar was made by the Hon. Dr McNab in the eoiirse of a recruiting speech at Leeston at the end of last week. Dr McNab said that some years previously, as a result of what he ' had learned from one of his brothers who had been educated in Germ-any, he had instituted his campaign in this country in behalf of compulsory service. There were thousands of people who, had they possessed the knowledge he had before the war, would have been the greatest pessimists instead of optimists. "He who runs may read," and now the position, despite the censor, was dawning upon the people. Evei ywhere sill over the British world the men. and women, he believed^ were beginning to realise the position. * ..,,.,

WE MCST WIN

"We have had to pay a tremendous price in life and treasure for our unprespa redness, and now we have to see things through," said Dr MeNab. "The war.lias got to be won... If the steal curtain, were drawn- down to-mg-ht ami no further steps taken to set-ine men and material., we would have* lost the fight, and the fall of the. British Empire would be sure. That fall would be a. blow to civilisation. It is on my perfect confidence in the men of the nation that I base my confident,belief in the final subjugation of the German Empire.

"But Germany will never give in whilst she has one single man left. People who get a peep behind the steel curtain that hides Germany rTO.lise that every- member of the German nation, from' the humblest child to the inhuman brute at the top, is filled with but one resolve— to win the war. "Who in this country lias given up anything, except the 42,000 young men who have imperilled their'lives and sacrificed their present prospects by enlisting? In Germany all the skill of the nation""'is being devoted to one object, the winning of the war; their one single purpose is to end the war in their favor. One nation prepared can hold up the whole- world unprepared, and much as we disapproved .their other efforts, we must take off our hats to their organisation.''

MORE MEN WANTED

That' was why he was there that night to appeal lor more men. added the Minister. Though Now Zealand recruited -3 2,000 she wanted 2000 more every four weeks until the end. For how long ho could not say; it must he for twelve months at least. The theory that the Allies could defeat Germany by ihianeial stringency had been exploded, as had been so many other theories by this war. It was known that in this country there were 100,000 men unmarried between the ages of 20 and 40. Of. these possibly 30,000 might bo unfit. lie did not appeal for married men, not except as a last resort.

THE SHIRKERS

He felt satisfied that enough young men would enlist to secure the satistory result of ilie war, but what was going ni be the position of the shirkers? There was a rising publicopinion already which looked askance at every unmarried young man who had not gone into khaki. Eefore he had left Wellington he was rung up on the telephone one day, and a woman's voice asked him if ho were going down to Canterbury to conduct a. recruiting campaign. He said he was, and the lady then asked him if he would go to Leeston, as there Mas need for his presence there. "I promised to come to Leeston," said l>r. .McXab i;aml here 1 am." (Applause V In conclusion Dr. McNnb asked what was going to bo the miserable position in life of the shirker af'Lv the war, when 00,000 young men

oame back, nnd by their influence dominated the life of the country ? Hqcould not conceive of any man in thei public life of the country, of military; nge, who would have the pi nek to get up and solicit public support when he; had to confess that he had not voluu* teered for active service.