Call For Volunteers

Northern Advocate, 22 December 1939, Page 4

Call For Volunteers

SINCE the preceding editorial was in type, news has been received that a supreme effort is to be made to vindicate the claim that New Zealand is able to raise by voluntary enlistment all the men required for military service. A big effort is to be made to secure 10,000 volunteers before January 12, and it is hoped that 5,000 of these will be as fit to fill the Second Echelon and form the nucleus of the Third Echelon. A spectacular campaign is to be staged, and every eligible man will be given the opportunity to offer, of his own free will, to serve his country in the hour of its need. While it is true that conscription spreads more fairly over the whole of eligible manhood the duty of carrying arms, it is equally true that the voluntary worker in any sphere of activity is the worth-while man. There is every reason to believe that freedom-loving young New Zealanders, now that the need for their services has been demonstrated, will rally to the colours in a manner that shall add further discomfiture to the enemy. The Government having decided upon a campaign to secure the troops who are needed immediately, it behoves everybody to assist. This can be done by concentration upon the need for safeguarding the liberty which New Zealand enjoys, and putting in the background all antagonisms, political and otherwise, which may be permissible in time of peace, but which should have no place when the nation is at war.