THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. TUESDAY JULY 19, 1949. The Case For Military Training

Northern Advocate, 19 July 1949, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. TUESDAY JULY 19, 1949. The Case For Military Training

Tile campaign in {support, of compulsory military training at the referendum to be hold on August 3 was opened in Whangarei last evening by the Minister of Rehabilitation, the Hon. C. F. Skinner. The mind of Jhe meeting was plainly disclosed by the fact that a motion expressing wholehearted support. of ihe proposal was carried with only four dissentients Mr Skinner, and the representatives of the ITS.A. and 2nd N.Z.E.F. Association who supported him made out. a strong case for the proposed scheme of military training, and the facts adduced must make all serious-minded people realise the wisdom of preparing young New Zealanders in peacetime to offer effective resistance should if. ever be necessary to defend the Dominion or take part overseas in military operations which would decide the fate of the Dominion.

Mr Skinner bore out the contention of Major- General Stewart, Chief of the General Staff In New Zealand, that there are two fundamental facts to be kept in mind when considering compulsory military training in peacetime.

The first is that the defence ol New Zealand is inextricably bound np with the defence of the Biitish Commonwealth: as in the past, the fate of New Zealand in any future conflict will be decided in an overseas theatre of war and not in Hew Zealand. The second fact is that in any future war there will not be time to call up, organise and train forces after hostilities commence: any aggression against the Commonwealth will be sudden and swiff. If any further argument is required to prove the necessity for developing a useful system oJ defence it is provided by a survey of the position which Australia and New Zealand occupy in relation to Asia.

Recent developments in China may change the attitude of 647,000,000 people occupying other than Russian territory in Asia, a matter which is of vital concern to Australia and New Zealand, which can boast only 9.000,000 inhabitants between them, -and which are located in a vast region where all but a few widely scattered thousands are Orientals.

It is too early to say what is to be the upshot of the negotiation of settlements in connection with Indonesia, Burma and Indo-China. where nationalism is so strong, but it is believed that in these Asiatic countries the Chinese Communists’ victory may have nofable repercussions. In Indo-China the nationalist movement, which seeks separation from the French Empire, is led by Ho Chi Minh, a former Cominform

agent, who spent a period in China and Moscow as leader of the IndoChinese Underground during the war. and though, as the head of the Viet Nam Republic, he has disavowed contact with Moscow, he is nevertheless a firm friend of Ihe Chinese Communist leaders. While the Thakin Nu Government of Burma and the Karens widen have been in revolt, arc. not Communists. there is always a danger that one of the factious may accept Communist offers of help and so clear the way for the establishment of a Communist slate. So far as Indonesia is concerned, an American commentator stated recently that the Dutch had been forced to leave the country prematurely, leaving armed sections of the population who might become allies of Asiatic Communists. The position in Malaya and Thailand cannot be ignored, for the Chinese population outnumbers the Malayans by 400,000. and through the Chinese are probaM? divided between Communist and Nationalist China, they would no doubt be influenced if a strong Chinese Government of either colour were established. The Chinese population in Thailand numbers 3,000.000 out ol' a total of 17.000,000. but as it has a strongeconomic grip upon the country the Communists might have its support in staging a revolution. When it is remembered that Russia has reason to view with satisfaction the expansion of Communist-con-trolled territories in Asia, the significance of ’his expansion to Australia and New Zealand cannot be too strongly stressed. During the past few days Chiang Kai-shek visited the President of the Philippines Republic and discussed the establishment of a Far Eastern Anti-Communist Union.

The Federal Government of Australia is said to be not interested in this proposal, but will continue its own efforts to promote a defence pact between the British Commonwealth countries in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, believing that a firm British Commonwealth pact is a necessary preliminary to participation by. the United Stales. If for no other reason, it is obviously essential that New Zealand should take steps to provide its quota to any combination which would ensure safety in the Pacific. This fact strengthens the proposal that a scheme of compulsory military training on what is, after all*, a very modest basis should be put into operation without delay. At the same time it may be well to reiterate that defence, not aggression, is the purpose of giving New Zealand youths an opportunity to undergo training in any branch of the armed forces they may prefer.