MENACED BY MILITARISM!

NZ Truth, Issue 571, 27 May 1916, Page 4

MENACED BY MILITARISM!

ARE THE PEOPLE TO BE PRUSSIANISED ?

THE COMPULSORY SERVICE BILL CONSIDERED

The Shadow of Conscription Darkens the Democracy

The shadow of Conscription darkens ( the land, and the lives and liberties of \ the people — all that men hold dear, and ; m times past have been prepared to sell dearly— are about to be offered up as a sacrifice to the Moloch of 'Mill*, tarism; Within the 47 Sections' and innumerable sub-sections of a Bill cited as the Military Service Act, 1916, which is to "make further Provision for the Raising and Maintenance of Expeditionary Forces during- the "Present War," and which" after an unconscionable delay was presented to Parliament on Wednesday evening last, is to be found the last remnant of that unappreciated quality, the freedom of the democracy.- New Zealand, once \ "the Worker's Paradise," once the j cpuntry that was destined to lead the world "m daring experimental social | and industrial legislation, the brightest little diadem of the British Crown, : to which statesmen and politicians of foreign, climes turned their eyes and their thoughts, has at length emerged, a dependency of Great Britain, gripped by capitalistic cliques and claquers, the oppressor of the worker and his legitimate hopes, aims and ambitions, and is about to seek the complete suppression, servility and slavery of its citizens by imposing on them the y6ke of a system of militarism as cruel and crushing as that of Prussia itself. While purblind and patriotic newspapers have hailed the' coming of Conscription as' great, inspiring and comprehensive,' 4s a' glowing tribute to a small nations, patriotism and devotion to the Mothe/ Country, all thought or suspicion' of 'danger to the democracy is carefully concealed. • Never m the history of New Zealand, or of any integral portion of the Great British i Empire, has such a cunning capitalistic Conspiracy ' been hatched,- and only by a miracle can the complete enslavement of a too trusting 'people be averted. * . ■>: ■. 0 ■.■'■■«.'■ ■-■ : •■'■;-,■ If Conscription, is not the result of a cunningly contrived capitalistic conspiracy, if for nearly 10 years the people of New Zealand have not been the mere pawns of a military game, the too willing tools of a militaristic and mercenary gang, what does the history of the last 10 years not provre? It is true that within the last decade m New Zealand there have been more oiv less momentous political changes and upheavals, but -throughout militarism has menaced the Dominion. We all recall that many so-called misguided men and women opposed, as strenuously as they could, the Imposition on New Zealand of a form of militarism m the shape of the Territorial system of home defence, involving as it did, compulsory military training of the Territorials. The opposition to that system was strong and strenuous, and many foresaw what is about to pass, and, whose prescience and clear vision will now be recognised. So strong, strenuous and insistent was the antagonism to Mad Militarism that the Ward Government pf 1909, when it passed Us Defence Act of that year, endeavored to allay the fears of those who perceived the rocks ahead, and specifically set forth that: Any part of the Territorial Force shall be liable to serve m any part of New Zealand, but no part of the Territorial Force shall be carried or ordered to go* out of Now Zealand. A reference to the Act of 1909 will show that under the first taste of Militarism m New Zealand, "all male inhabitants of New Zealand between the ages of 17 and 56 years ... are liable to be trained and serve m the Militia." In short, under the Defence Act of 1909, all males m New Zealand between the j agoa ot 17 and 55 years are liable to be trained to servo In the defence of New Zealand. Furthermore, it was an expression of the will of the people, through Its Parliamentary representatives, that a Continental form of Conscription on no account would be tolerated In New Zealand. ■ ■ « ■'. • • The Government which passed this Military measure into law is no more. It shortly afterwards went out of olllco. It Is true that the then head of the Government, with a number of his then followers, have formed a Coalition with the head and followers of a party which, by methods of a degrading character, ultimately gained ofilce, and to-day Now Zealand is governed by a Cabinet of the queerest political mixture Imaginable. Political hatchets have been buried, or supposed to have been buried, and "none are now for party, and all are for the State," though despite the frequent protestations made (on one side it has been noted by close observers), the fact remains that there are many rifts In the political lute. However, and notwithstanding the provisions of the Defence Act Of 1909, and its clearly enacted principle of No Conscription, wo find that Mr. J allies Allen, when on a trip to England, committed New Zealand to an Expeditionary Force. People confouniiod this commitinl of New Zealand j to an Expeditionary Forco as a violation of the principle of the 1909 Act, and the denial that such was the cast? wuk a correct denial, though, at the saute " time, it is held that it wa« tin' cvuslon of the spirit of the Defence Act of 1909. The true purport of the peregrinating politician's promise manifested Itself parly m August, 19H, when the British Empire became Involved In the ljuropeun War, and to date six times 10.000 citizens of Now Zealand havo been "curried or ordered 'to go out of N*t;\v Zealand," and it must not be overlooked that these citizens ore part and parcel of New Zealand's territorial or homo sorvleo defender*. If New Zoft-* lnnd has not been tricked by in© politicians, It \h difficult to declare what political trickery consists of. While It might bo truthfully said that GO.OOO male* have volunteered to fight and lay down their lives In the defence of the British JSmplris it ulno can be mild with tho name amount of truth that 60,000 cltlretu* have left those ttiionvM to make good tho word of a politician who had no shadow of right to commit this country to an Expeditionary Force, But our political "bo.«w»«" propone to go further. In order thni Mr,. Allen's word shall be kept, the people of New Zealand are now to be I'rusMltnilnod, to quote Mr. James Paul. M.1..C., when recunlly Npcukiug m the legislative Council, m lejjrt that) tea yuani New Zealand h:is been atumpoded Into Militarism. Slowly thi» Frunketirtieln monster has got Us K ri P °" democracy, it lit now about to crush it. And our politician* connive ni It, nnd unctuous}y exclaim thm It I.m "the will of th>? people." Did the pt'Opk- of New XeaUutil will war? What percentage: of Hie |K>ople know why Hrltuin l» righting Germany? * ♦ • The people of Now Zealnml within ten ywnr* huv.- been te!d by <s«« Ac-t of Parliament thai Cunecrlfitlon of the pvoph- tor ttrrvif- abroad Is out of uli qUettlloti. Another proponed Act will violate that principle, and though tho

Act is for the compulsory raising and i maintenance of an Expeditionary Force during the present war, what reliance can be placed on such an assertion? Are we not justified m concluding that once Conscription becomes law it will be the law for all time. Militarism is unscrupulous m its methods, and dishonorable In character. Its unscrupulousness and dishonorable character ! are manifested m the provisions of this Act of Conscription (it is nothing more, or less) because of the shamef aced proposal to violate and betray the confidence of the people, by utilising against them, the information imparted under the seal of confidence, m the National Register. Such a proposal is infamous m the extreme, and denotes .the puerile character of our politicians, and "Truth" trusts that whatever is the outcome of the discussion on this momentous measure, the Labor members of Parliament will not acquiesce m the perpetration of "a political confidence trtek." Indeed, as "Truth" pointed but tu. Its last, issue, it is not yet too late for Labor members of Parliament, .and those politicians who are inclined to. consider the welfare of the working masses to review their attitude on Compulsory Service, to recant their hastily formed opinions, expressed on the spur of the moment, and to realise what Conscription means to the willing worker — and to the worthless wealthy. The Act m its present form is militarism run riot. Parliament's sanction of the proposed Act means the establishment of a Military Bureaucracy, the next step being the proclamation of martial law. Despite even' its most modified terms, this Act of Parliament proposes to deprive citizens of all' civil rights, and militarism Is to be responsible to nobody. Presumably on the ground that its'administration shall be freed from any possible political taint, pressure or influence, a military autocracy is to be I set up, and the representatives of the people ought not to lose sight of the fact that the working class. is going to bo tlie class mainly affected. ! ■ ' " ' • •.'••■•-. : ■#'-... To summarise the provisions of /this Act of Conscription of the working I people of New Zealand Is a difficult task. It is not so much the 47 Sections j and the innumerable sub-sections , which require attention, as \it Is < the military machine it Is Intended to build. Parliament deals only with the fittings, militarism completes the engine which the Governor-in-Council hands over to it. It will not suffice for Parliament to afterwards . blame the favit on the Governor-in-Counoil, or for Cabinet to ascribe its maladministration to the military machine. Parliament is the voice of the people, and if Parliament betrays the people, then to the people mU3t Parliament finally answer. As the proposed Act now stands it is a ponderous, cumbersome, clumsy piece of legislation, cunningly concealing its objects — partly of bluff and intimidation. It is said to aim at the single, eligible shirker or slackor, but its provisions do not give any guarantee against the shirking and slacking of those who can bring influence to bear, or of those with wealth to command. It is possible under this Act of Conscription for single ellgibles to I shirk, while the. Irona of Militarism can be shackled on the married man. A.venues of escape are afforded, or are likely to be afforded, and tho possibilities of unfair discrimination are large. To pass an Act of Conscription might seom easy, but Us fair and impartial administration will be difficult, and if there is any wisdom In, Parlament which can make its fair and impartial administration easy, "Truth" hopes to see it prevail. It is easy and fashionable for Parliamentarians to prate of "the last man and tho last shilling." Let us have more talk on tho last shilling than wo have had, and which the worker-soldier expects, Juggling with the shilling seems to be a difficult sort of thing with political legerdemalnists, and that, presumably, is the reason why the selling of the helpless workers ot New Zealand Into Military bondage becomes nn easy task. The task, though, is not yet accomplished. It la "a long, long way to Tlpperary."