THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1913 THE MANPOWER MUDDLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24535, 18 March 1943, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1913 THE MANPOWER MUDDLE

Profound uneasiness will be felt at the Government's handling of the country's manpower, so far as its actions were disclosed in the debate in Parliament. A strong impression is left that our manpower resources have been over-committed and that the Government is fighting a long war on a short-range plan. Indeed, there is plain justification for the Opposition Leader's charge that on this question the Government is in "a proper muddle." Admissions by Government spokesmen go to support the charge of mismanagement. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the Government will accept Mr. Holland's suggestion that the whole question be reviewed. Whether the appointment of a committee of the whole House, as he suggests, would prove effective may be doubted. But some competent body should at once be instructed to draw up a scheme for the balanced allocation of manpower between the services and the home front —a scheme that has regard to the available human means. How far the present proposals are from relating ends to means can be gathered from Mr. Coates' speech, presenting the view of the War Cabinet. He expressed his confidence, without stating his grounds, that the Dominion could maintain the two divisions overseas on a combat basis for 12 months ahead. At the same time he asserts the Allies arc in for a long, hard war. In such case, what happens to the divisions when, presumably, New Zealand is no longer able to reinforce them? Mr. Coates did not say. Already the Dominion has mobilised in the forces 10 per cent of its population—the maximum figure. Yet in the long, hard war Mr Coates foresees, he gives no hint of looking further with manpower than 12 months ahead. Mr. Sullivan appeared to sense the weakness of this position, but his attempt to buttress it was equally weak. He admitted in so many words that the manpower situation cannot continue as it is for very long. "If it became necessary," he said, "we might have to ask the Imperial and United States authorities what they think should be done." In other words, the Government contemplates plunging into manpower bankruptcy and then running to London and Washington for help. New Zealand should bp more self-reliant than that and the Government more responsible. We should cut our war coat according to our cloth of manpower. We should devise a programme that we can carry through. To return to the War Cabinet's spokesman, at one moment Mr. Coates argues that provision for home defence can be reduced because a New Zealand division has been sent to the outer Pacific perimeter for combat duty. At the next he is enlarging on the grave danger to the Dominion from Japan. He speaks of the enemy's immense strength, says it has scarcely been scratched, and contends that no island in the Pacific could be said to be free from attack. Very pertinently he was asked whether he was not arguing that there should be no relaxation of defence here. Indeed, if the risk is as real as Mr. Coates makes out, no responsible Government should be shipping every available fit fighting man overseas and stripping home defence down to a skeleton force. Even Mr. Coates admits that "we might be caught on the hop." A little later on. however, he argues that this could not happen, that "New Zealand will have three months' warning of a Japanese break-through." If she does, it will be very considerate of the Japanese. With the best will in the world, it is impossible to make sense of the Government's manpower policy as expounded by Mr. Coates. And this is a very serious business, a matter of life or death, of national survival or extinction, a matter that should make sense. As presented, it is full of contradictions and irreconcilable factors. Apart from that, there remains the question of the Dominion's physical ability to fulfil her commitments. As well as providing the heavy reinforcements to make good the casualties of two combat divisions, New Zealand is engaged in rapidly expanding her Air Force, and continues to make a substantial and active contribution to the war at sea. On Mr. Coates' showing she neglects home defence at her peril. At the same time she must man her productive forces at home if she is to meet her supply commitments. The Government, by cutting down on home defence, professes to be aide to see 12 months ahead. And after that? Long before then, and indeed at once, the present hand-to-mouth policy must be overhauled. The country, committed to fight in both Africa and the Pacific, must not be allowed to drift into a position where it has to confess bankruptcy of manpower in London and Washington, and then hope for the best. A programme must be framed now that relates ends to means.