Junior Chamber Urges Compulsory Military Training

Northern Advocate, 13 July 1939, Page 4

Junior Chamber Urges Compulsory Military Training

“'THAT THIS MEETING OF 38 MEMBERS OF THE WHANGAREI JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHOSE AGES RANGE BETWEEN 18 AND 35 YEARS, THANKS SINCERELY LIEUT.-COLONEL H. C. HEMPHILL AND MR L, A, JOHNSON FOR THEIR MOST ILLUMINATING ADDRESSES ON THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND, AND THAT THIS MEETING PLEDGES ITSELF TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS SCHEME FOR THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND BY PERSONAL- RECRUITING OF ITS MEMBERS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME URGES UPON THE GOVERNMENT THE NECESSITY OF COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING, AND THE SUPPLY OF ADEQUATE INSTRUCTORS AND EQUIPMENT,’’ WAS THE MOTION WHICH WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AT A MOST ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING OF TOE CHAMBER ON TUESDAY EVENING,

Mr R. E. Johnston presided. Lieut.-Colonel Hemphill, who had been invited to speak on the possibility of attack on New Zealand, ana the defence of New Zealand, said. —

Nc Security Without Sacrifice,

“There can be no security in defence without sacrifice. In aggressor nations, service and sacrifice are imposed on all men, women and children alike at the will of the dictator —an imposed service and sacrifice, both mandatory and supreme—a state of affairs which deeply concerns our Empire and the peace of the world. “Here we have a contrast: Britain pursuing democratic virtues and up until quite recently has depended for her further protection upon a voluntary enlistment system to augment her standing army.

“For any nation to impose her will on another nation by force of arms is both cruel and unjust. Britain baa now made it abundantly clear to those nations that any further attempts at aggression will be met by stern opposition, if necessary by force of arms.

“The international situation is grave in the extreme. In face of this, what is the reasoning of the people who say they believe in the voluntary system? They believe this: that it is right for the man who possesses a sense of duty to protect the home, the property, the life and the family of the man who apparently has not this sense of duty. I personally believe that for the adequate security of New Zealand, compulsory national military service is really essential. Realise this: the British flag no longer protects her nationals. This is the plain, unescapable and unpalatable truth.”

“The pace, however, has been sot by the methods adopted for some years by the aggressor nations in building up military and naval strength for purposes of aggression. This haS resulted in Britain instituting a form of compulsory national service as a counter measure.

“The action of the aggressor nations in absorbing smaller and weaker countries by sheer weight of arms, has brought home to cur Empire a realisation of the fact that a settlement of international disputes either through the medium of the League of Nations or by conference can no longer be relied upon.

Proneness to Attack

Continuing, Colonel Hemphill said that the Japanese climate is identical with that of New Zealand, and with the Japanese desiring to expand, this Dominion would lie within the sphere of the Japanese influence. “We have been warned of the grave possibility of attack in the event of the outbreak of hostilities. The Japanese Navy is intact today, and her forces have the advantage of experience in modern warfare and the use of modern arms.”

“International agreements are no longer honoured by these nations. It is jicw the habit of the aggressor nations to gain national objectives in quick time by force of arms without resorting to a declaration of war. This is a new feature in international relations.

Dealing with the vulnerability of New Zealand, Colonel Hemphill said that in the early part of the last war, the Germans actually made a reconnaissance of the North Cape with planes from the “Wolff!” “If it were possible in those days, with one lone

enemy ship, and, from modern standards, obsolete aircraft, the danger now of sudden enemy raids is considerably greater, and to put partly trained troops against seasoned campaigners would be deplorable and most unfair to the youth of New Zealand.”

Totally Inadequate. Referring to the defence strength of the Dominion, Col. Hemphill said the aim of the Government is for 16,000 Territorials, who would be spread over the whole of New Zealand, and their course of training would be about 20 days per year. “In- my opinion that is totally inadequate. In the last war, it took four trained men to keep one trained man in the front line, the four being occupied in medical work, as despatch riders, and in various other necessary duties, so that with a’ force of say 16,000, the front line fighting force would be reduced to between three and four thousand,” said Colonel Hemphill. He added that * until recently, out of 120,000 eligibles of the National Military Reserve, only 5 per cent, responded. “There does not appear at present to be any means of training the National Military Reserve for service in case of sudden emergency, and in my opinion at least 50,000 trained men are required for the adequate defence of New Zealand,” concluded Colonel Hemphill. Mr L. A. Johnson, secretary of the Whangarei Empire Ex-Service Association, spoke on the necessity for the young men realising the gravity of the situation, and the need for them to offer their services so as to become fully trained in all aspects of modern warfare. He also stressed the need for physical culture in order to fit them for the strenuous work that might be the result. Mr Johnson also made a strong point of the question of discipline, which, he said, would of t ceessity have to be very rigorous. It was stated by the pres'dent that 15 members cf the Chamber have already joined either the Territorials or the Res ?, ve

After a number of questions had been answered by the speakers, the motion as above was then carried,'with no dissentient voices.