The Army of the Southern Cross.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 71465, 16 February 1901, Page 4

The Army of the Southern Cross.

Mr A. G. Hales, in tbe Daily News of New Year's Day, formulates his views as to the Commonwealth's army. He says : Personally, I believe that the Commonwealth will provide for the establishment ana maintenance of 100.000 volunteers, who will be ready to take the field at any time should they be required. The officers for the forces will in the main be Australians—rneti who love the work, and will not shirk it. Home scheme will be formulated which will allow young officers to travel, to observe, to work, to learn, not only in the British Army, but in the armies of the whole world. The men selected for such work will be chosen because they possess military gifts; because they possess God's grandest dower — the dower of brains; aot because their parents happen to fill a high place in society, "~fc because papa happens to possess a ' ••*• of political influence ; not large amoun u * t b h' . because a youth hap t yy . ~ " of some noble family; becausb l« W* new land a noble name is not worth a bag of potatoes unless it is backed by a stout heart, a level head, and a" decent sense of proportion as between man and man. The humblest private soldier will have as good a chance of getting to the front as any other man; for I am in a position to state that in the proposed Federal Volunteer Army of Australasia the marshal's baton will be in every soldier's knapsack. Therein will lie, in my opinion, the future success of the young nation's army. The absurd theis that a private soldier will not willingly follow a leader who does not boast noble or genteel blood, will find few champions in a land where every man stands or falls by his own personal merits, irrespective of anything his great-grand-mother may have done. To give a case which wili illustrate my meaning, J will mention that some years ago one of the foremost barristers was serving in a volunteer corps as corporal. He was a rich man. His social position was of the highest. As a politician he was in the front rank, and to-day is one oE the foremost statesmen in tho Southern Hemisphere. A friend met him one Saturday afternoon returning from parade, arrayed in all the glory of a corporal's uniform, and commenced to remonstrate with him for what he (the friend) considered bis undignified action. " Well," was the reply, "why shouldn't 1 serve as a corporal ?" " Oh, that's nonsense," said the friend; "why one of our own clerks is a lieutenant in the same corps 1" " Quite right, too," retorted the barrister; " and a jolly smart young soldier he is, too. I'm a better polition and a better lawyer than he could ever be; but I'm not, and never will be, as good a soldier. He has put all his brains, all his energies, all his spare time into the business of soldiering, and works more weeks at it than I work hobrs. If there is any glory in the game he is entitled to ifc. The man who would try to force him down below me because I happen to have more money and move influenco is a — cad, in my opinion." It was not a graceful reply, but it "got fcnore" all the same, and tho corporal now has another stripe. To*day he is in a position to offer much large* billets fee ethesis, foi; he