THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. It is Anti-Volunteer.

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 369, 27 July 1907, Page 6

THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. It is Anti-Volunteer.

AND so Wellington has a branch of the National League of New Zealand? And, seeing. that it is essentially a military League, born to protect the people of New Zealand by making the whole of thepeople protect themselves, it strikesus as curious that no military men are having anything to do with it. Sir Joseph Ward, as Defence Mnister, wasat the meeting the other night, and.. while apparently applauding theLeague, he spoke in support of the volunteer system, which is entirely opposite and opposed to the League system. If the League's system becomesgeneral, there will, of course, be no need of volunteers, as the basis of its existence is the military efficiency of every male in the country. Some people have said that Bishop Wallisreally shouldn't take part in thesebloodthirsty meetings, but we believe the parsons should evince a greater interest about the bodies of the peoplethan their souls. • • * The point about the League is that it is a private affair, apparently without official sanction, that if it succeeds it will kill volunteering, and will, whatever may be said to the contrary, confer a boon on the country in so doing. Socialists at that inaugural meeting; deprecated their children being made "food for powder," but apparently these people never think about theother fellow who is being made "food for powder" to protect their children. • * * We are averse to a gaudy militarism, and the only way to get rid pf it is to induce the whole of the people, by such means as the National League advocate, to accept their part in the defence of the country. Defence ia not feathers or top-boots or brass buttons or helmets or, red tape or opera bouffe business at all. Defence isn't bloodthirsty. It is the first element of peace. It is clear that active military men in New Zealand are not identifying themselves with the League because they see in it an enemy to existing militarism. • • • It is the element of militarism that wants killing, and the element of defence (universal defence) encouraged. The League's idea that defence is everybody's business is a sane basis for its operations. The man who designedly opposes any means of strengthening its people as effective units is no patriot. Sooling the red-coat on to the enemy isn't patriotism, any more than "barracking" is football. Do a bit of sooling yourself. That counts.

The Rovers' "Soccer" Club played progressive euchre in the Oddfellows' Hall, Lambton Quay, on Monday night, and discussed the out-door game. A committee was set up, whose duty it would be to push the game enthusiastically. The junior Rovert believe they can "just about get away" with the seniors, and they thereupon threw down the gauntlet. The seniors accepted the challenge, and the match will be played soon, the winners to provide a dinner.