VOLUNTARY CONSCRIPTION

NZ Truth, Issue 538, 9 October 1915, Page 3

VOLUNTARY CONSCRIPTION

Dear "Truth," — TTie word Compulsion grates nearly as hard on the e«r of a Briton as Slavery; m fact, they are twin sisters, and not lovely; but the objectionable phrase may be painted m gold leaf and become quite at.tractive to our progressive and ambitious youth, so that our young men would be tumbling over one another m the eager rush to volunteer for a position among our defenders. It is well known and recognised as n fact m all of those Austral States that no career is so attractive IWJ a Government billet. Quite a number or the candidates for Parliamentary honors have stated that one eighth of our adult male population were one way or another In Government employment already. Now as National Defence is at present the burning question of the day, let it be enacted that all candidates for any ofHce where there Is ft Government shilling going, must belong to some one of the Defence Departments. That Ib, that every candidate for any Government billet, from M.l\ down to the meanest casual, must be or have been lv some way a defender of the State. As we already have onoelghth m Government employment, and ok there are three or more candidates for every vacancy, this would mean that quite one half of our aspiring youth would be anxiously qualifying themselves for something- Governmental. In order to sugar the pill, and ' even render it attractive, all present holders of office are not to be altected by this regulation; only new candi* ! dates. Following this up logically, no ' new old ago pensions should be grunted to any who have made no sacrifice for the good of the Slate, for the word "pension" means an allowance for past good services, and when none have been rendered, nothing is deserved. ! Also, m all works carried out or Biib- i sldiscd by the State there should be a I preference clause m favor of workmen ' who have not been defenders. This ■ propoxal of preference has been moot- i i*d by some «>f our political lumlnurlei*. ] and generally approved of, thounh objected to by a few of the trades unionist.*. Should such n regulation bo Ktiirted. no conscription would \»\ I necessary to 1111 thu ranks to overflow* , liur. while it would m no way Interfere \ with our present system of recruiting. \ H would also have ih«? effect of cxclud- • ing all unuaturallst'd aliens from any j Government service.- ~ Yours, <-te. I ROBERT SLUAX. j Auckland. }

Home Tooki\ bring UHkod by Gcorj{i> 111 whether Uv played at curcla, reptl'tl: "I cannot, your majesty, 101 l a kin>; from a knave,"