MILITARY OBJECTORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 16

MILITARY OBJECTORS.

Sir, —Mr. E. J. Smith asks why bees have stings and similar quostions. Biologists attempt explanation by advancing a theory of evolution. Mr. Smith may not desire to accept so easy an explanation, but even he must, admit that mankind has progressed till to-day the finest and most useful members o"f society are not the quarrelsome and acquisitive, but those who devote their energies to "making life more abundant—not to destroying both life itself and those things that make it worth living. Seme people to-day even go the ridiculous length of supposing that wo havo so for progressed as to be able to co-oper;,te with each other in vast business enterprises, in building up homes, cities, nations, and even a world society in which Stales will co-operate for the general good of mankind ps individuals now do for the good of their particular nation.' It is only in such a co-operating world that each nation can have the defence and security which vour correspondent so rightly desires for his own. For a world in which every State is armed against every other State is the most insecure place conceivable. If the possession of "defences" gave any. security Aucklanders would be well advised to go about carrying revolvers and bowie-knives. Yet we do not do so because we know that if we acted on this theory of "defence", in our personal relations we would be in hourly dread of our lives—and with good reason. _ At; one period in the • past we actually lived Thus, but to-day have learned to trust each other further, and so life is brighter and safer. When we learn- to do so in international affairs we shall at least be really secure. But we shall never arrive at this happy condition until we have given up wearing our national bowie-knives and revolvers and thus put an end to that fear and suspicion between nations which their existence makes inevitable. The process is under way. Unfortunately while other States, almost _ without exception, are disarming, even if as yet slowly and suspiciously, "progressive" New Zealand spends more tnnn sver on * defence that brings only insecurity. It is time to reverse the process. A. M. Richards.

Sir. —I would like to say a farewell word to Mr. Henry or any other advocate ot conscription of manhood for war, in view of the willing eagerness of almost every youth to go and fight at the call of his country. Owing to our mode of educa-. tion and history teaching it is thra ambition of almost'every young man to be a militarv hero. Indeed, during the last* war it was the experience of mothers, especially widowed mothers, that they could not prevent their sons enlisting, and when under military age mothers appealed to the authorities for help, the boys' anger was extreme and knew no bounds, and often made the mother's life a misery. One case that comes to my mind is that of a youth who made a bayonet, attack, on his mother's drawing room furniture, even an expensive piano served for an enemy. Another, also in Auckland, was the son of a naturalised German, who pleaded that in going he might be slaying his own relations. But the boy would' riot listen, arid went, to return wounded, in his father's own broken English, ' just widdled. with bullets." Yet he was determined to go back when well enough to be allowed. I adyised his distressed mother to let him go, as he was evidently naturally intended for a target. Thfe point I wish to make is that no nervous conscription advocate need worry about it for our young men; but if we must still have it as the law of our land I would suggest that it apply only to inen ovbi 45 who are physically fit. A. D. Hamilton-