The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1911. DEFENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 16890, 15 November 1911, Page 4

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1911. DEFENCE.

The great and important question of defence having been omitted from the Wlnton speech for lack of time to deal with it adequately, Sir Joseph Ward did well to devote the greater part of his time to it at the Bluff on Saturday night. He showed convincingly the necessity that exists for adequate internal defences in this country, and to our mind he showed also that the cost is by no means excessive. Why should we in this country expect to obtain security in a world in arms at less cost than the people of other countries? We pay altogether something over half a million a year. If we paid at the same rate as our kinsfolk in the Horae country the sum would be twice as much —something over a million. In Britain national defence costs 32s per head; in New Zealand we escape with 11s. Even Germany, with her enormous population, pays 12s per head for her army, and in France the cost is ISs. We regret to find Mr Stephens at Lumsden speaking of the cost of defence as if it were excessive, and alluding in terms of contempt to military men “strutting about in spurs and fal-de-lals at the country's expense.” Mr Stephens and other antimilitarists talk about “civilisation progressing towards the elimination of armaments.” What kind of illusion is this that such hard and painful experiences as Morocco and Tripoli have provided are unable to dissipate?

Two months ago both Prance and Germany were couched for a spring, and Europe .was on the verge of war. A few weeks ago Italy descended upon Tripoli and wrested it fi'om Turkey, because ‘Turkey had no navy with which to defend her oversea possessions. Yesterday’s cables report that the Crown Prince of Germany, the man who will eventually wear the Crown of a great military Empire, sat in the German Parliament a few days ago loudly applauding the jingoistic speeches of Herr Heydebrand. There is nothing whatever in the situation to warrant the statement that we are progressing towards the elimination of armaments. Every year the number of warships put into the sea increases. On all hands there is preparation for war, and in every chancellory in Europe the shadow of war sits waiting. There is no safety anywhere except in arras, and while we may sympathise strongly with the desire for peace and do our utmost to assist it, we must bow to the logic of facts and admit that for the present at least we have to hold ourselves ready in case our strength should be tested. With Sir Joseph Ward’s call upon Mr Massey and other leading members of . the Opposition to speak out clearly and without equivocation in behalf of our universal military system we have the strongest sympathy. The Defence Act was passed with the assistance of the Opposition, and since so much depends upon its success from the outset it is the clear duty of prominent members of the Opposition to meet the attempt which is being made to stir up feeling against compulsory training by showing that so far as defence is concerned they sink party differences and stand on the same platform as the Government. What Mr Massey has to say at Winton on Friday night in the speech on defence will he awaited with great interest.