Barnard On Conscription; Says People Must Decide

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1939, Page 6

Barnard On Conscription; Says People Must Decide

[Per Press Association. Copyright.] ' ' •’ . NAPIER, This Day. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (MR. BARNARD) HAS MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT CONCERNING CONSCRIPTION: J £ ‘T was .'asked recently by the Press to comment ,on the persistent rumour that the Government had decided to bring in conscription for overseas service. “I.denied the report, and added-that. the question had not been discussed in caucus, which would be sure to be consulted on so . vital an issue. y;;PSince then one or two Ministers have addressed meetings oi the L.'R.'C. and trade union representatives, and have replied to the question whether the Government proposed to introduce conscription. . vk {t l think it is /ime, therefore, to indicate to my constituents wlrart my reply is to the question asked in various places: If the appeal for volunteers for the Second Echelon does not succeed, would you take a referendum on conscription?’

“Can Get Volunteers.”

“I think we can obtain the volunteers if the right methods are used,” said Mr Barnard, “and, secondly, if it should come to a question of conscription, I say unhesitatingly that it should be referred to the people for decision.

“I have no son, and I am not prepared to compel other people’s sons to go overseas. “This may be criticised as irrational, but I cannot help that.

“The country has given no mandate for conscription.

“If the question arises, the people, and the people only, should, in my judgment, decide. “But I believe we can get the volunteers.

Over 100,000 New Zealanders served overseas between 1914 and 1918, and of these, I think, something like 85,000 were volunteers.

“The young men of New Zealand are not less spirited than the young men of 20 and 25 years ago.

“The young fellows today are mostly sons of returned soldiers. Wrong Methods

“I doubt, however, whether, we shall obtain the men we need unless more adequate means are taken to get them.

“We shall not get them by an almost casual statement to the Press, or an odd talk or two oyer the air, and it is strange that a class of man which is among the best surely to encourage recruiting has not been availed of. “I refer to the returned soldier members of Parliament.

“Local body representatives are being asked to recruit, but not the national representatives of New Zealand who have seen active service, and know what soldiering is.

“This is the day and hour when the returned soldier in Parliament should be playing a leading part in the country’s war effort. “In recent official appeals; he is not so much as mentioned. Minister’s Wrong Viewpoirft

“If volunteering fails, and I fear it will unless more intelligent methods are adopted, those responsible for the present ineffective methods will have to face up to the question of conscription. “It will be a thousand pities if we merely trumbie blindly along the road to conscription, when there is no need for it if we use the means that are ready to hand. “A Minister is also reported to have said that if there is to be conscription ‘it will mean that you and I will be on soldier’s rations and soldier’s

pay.’ “The Minister is entitled to his opinion, as I am to mine. “I consider, however, that the viewpoint expressed is utterly erroneous. Fight for Democracy “We have been told by the Prime Minister and others that this is a fight for democracy, and for the maintenance of the standard of living which it has been the object of .the Labour Party to build up, and which it is its object to maintain and to increase. “I entirely agree vidth this latter point of view. “It is scant encouragement to the men who are being asked to enlist, if in leaving New Zealand, they are permitted to do so with the idea in their minds that their parents and friends will be compelled to accept an inferior standard of living to that which the soldiers are told they are fighting to maintain.

“It will be the natural desire of the soldier abroad that the folks at home shall continue, as far as possible, to live the normal life to which they have been accustomed. Lift Soldiers’ Standard

“A better course, and one more In line with the principles of Labour as I understand them, would be to lift the standard of the soldier up to that of the average skilled worker. “No one will say that the soldier is not entitled to that, but the policy of whittling down or impoverishment is not one which the people of New Zealand would support. “They had too bitter an experience of that chastening process only a few years ago.” *