CONSCRIPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1915, Page 7

CONSCRIPTION.

(To the Editor.) Sir—l read with satisfaction the report in your paper this morning that at a meeting at Stratford a resolution was passed that the time has arrived where conscription should be resorted to, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Minister for Defence. In view of the necessity for tUia stop, and in order to strengthen the hands of the Government, I would suggest that the columns of the press be thrown open to those who advocate such a measure for the speedy reinforcement of our armies. Like the members of that meeting, wlio, I understand, are in Stratford, and like members of other meetings, still in New Zealand, I am a keen advocate for the conscription of all young men. It is surely just that these men should be fighting by the side of others in Europe, while New Zealand is left to us older men and guarded from attack by the British Navy. Can you imagine the spirit of a man, especially if he has no stake in the country, and j who under our just government has the | opportunity of working for his living, i when he is wanted, and yet -who refuses to give-his life for. the sake of upholding I the glorious -privileges which some of us possess? ttuffi think of the splendid I profits made by us; even out of such a calamity, and under a less free government than ours, those profits might have been confiscated ruthlessly for war purposes. In fact, such a confiscation, of part, at least, was actually suggested by some thoughtless people. But. thauks to the wisdom of our representatives, our just profits are maintained quite unimpaired, while the burden of the war is distributed over as many people as possible, so that the humblest, even to the mother aud sisters of o nr gallant soldiers, have a share in paying through the Customs, postage and railway fares ithe bulk of that burden: .and at the same time tllev take a share in contributing to the prosperity of the country iby paying the increased prices for our products. No better government than this ean possibly exist. It should be advertised from end to end of this land that able-bodied men can earn five shillings a day in the trendies, while they are lit; and, even without doing any work at all, when they come back maimed, they will get enough to live upon, unless our prices rise inordinately. While we are burdened with the profit from the land surely we should insist that others not so handicapped should protect us. Under such a glorious arrangement none but the- most debased young man can think of shirking the noble duty cast upon him in this crisis. Conscription must come, that is of able-bodied men, but it would be manifestly absurd to apply it to the wealth which these men are called upon to defend, That is private proparty,~l sun, etc., >S. RTffl&Kgß, '