DEFENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13937, 24 June 1909, Page 6

DEFENCE.

CANADIAN PROPOSALS. ffir: ■ sV' THE MOST FAVOURED. s* Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright _ Received 11 p.m., June 23rd. . ' OTTAWA, June 23. I,; Tfce Hon. L. P. Brodeur, Minister for Marine, replying to a deputation -mfc Montreal, reviewed three proposals. Canada might offer two Dreadnoughts, might contribute an. annual round sum, or might establish, a Canadian naval " militia- The latter was most favour, d by tho Canadian Government, and tbe Opposition supported it He added if only One dry dock was built " Quebec was the best location. A M ADVERSE OPINION. , At the monthly meeting of No. 13, Jioyal Orange Lodge, on Monday event Mr J- Boothroyd read J- w * u prepared paper condemnatory of the «- demand now popularly made through- ' out the British Empire ior of ¥ the 'Navy, and universal nuhtarj train- - ing. The following is a suinmarj ok ' tt ThJ g warlike spirit which had showing itself in Britain autl * he J?'®; ' nies during the past tew mon. , '• matter for regret to those v.ho -- - Keved in the brotherhood ok man. 1 hevast scale on which the tori-most n " trans of the world were carrying out their preparations lor w;fr v. .i.s > commg a inosb serious prob ern both morally and financially. 1 " this twentieth the" ' only science te for everv nation ?*way to avow! war tefc tli, a nd every ;;t ° b^ r tThe practically a. camp ok \ -country to De P t0 the clvihsa--v-soldiers, wais a comp i e te denial tion of the fge and a^^ l>rin , e o{ of taxation 'required to S-Kfl, call i«lo g eupremacy ? 0 f rivalry and t operation the essential «- mutual distrust that it , UJS • of the Dreadnought would be ad he did not object to it it i ee,es&air He thought that Britain should &aj to Germany; " Halt, or I'll declare war C and crash her rival. And yet Gtrr many in increasing her navy was only following our lead. It *'l* '*• ing of antagonism and distrust t at was causing the wave of ieelitig ■ now passing over the Dominion J s- favour of universal training. 1 ' - Weard to this subject there were two v or three important questions which -- ought to be asked and answered tiefore committing ourselves to it. First : "Was it right for us to encourage this •warlike feeling and preparation? \\as " it in accordance with the teachings or Jesus Christ? Wonkl it produce in • our young people right thoughts and feelings? And what about the rights of those who had conscientious objections to it ? Were we prepared to com- ►

pel them to drill and carry arms by lining them, and sending them to prison if they obiect? Some of us had been thrilled when as boys we read about the horrors of the conscription in France and elsewhere years ago. Were we prepared to put in tho thin end of the wedge which might lead to practical lj* the same thing in our Dominion? Then again: Was it necessary? were we in Euch vital danger? Was it not altogether unlikely that we should ever bo involved in a war that would affect these colonies at all ? We used to be afraid of Russia, but since the RussoJapanese war the Russian bogey has been killed "dead as a; door nail." The diplomacy of King Edward had finally disposed of the hereditary ill-feeling said to have existed between France and England for so many years and the "entente cordiale" was likely to be a lasting bond between us. And the German bogey, was only a bogey after all. With the friendship of France and the United States, and the Alliance with Japan, the Germans would not only think twice, but twenty times before attacking Britain, even if she were alone. But when it meant facing Canada, South Africa, India andAustralasia, to say nothing of the smaller dependencies, it would be quite out of the question. But why should we quarrel at all —two of the leading Christian nations, with the crowned heads related, one a son and the other a grandson of Victoria the Good. None of the large nations dare go to war now without some adequate cause, as the one causing the quarrel would lose the goodwill of the other civilised nations. A war between any two of the largo European nations to-day would be a calamity, and a crime disastrous l>eyoi'l expression. Finally, would this training provide an adequate defence against possible enemies? Not at all. If war should eventuate, and we were to be visited by a foreign cruiser, could we repel their attack if every man. and hoy in the Dominion were a trained soldier? It would practically make no difference, we should he entirely at their mercy. They could ieud in their demands for gold and provisions to every large port in turn, and any daring to refuse would be shell, d from tho vessel which stood out to sea several miles away. And if we dared to attack a landing party they would bo covered by their ships' guns, and anv opposing force would be quicklv dispersed. So that however well trained our men might be it would be an ineffectual defence against the kind of attacks that would be most likely to be made. We therefore claim that though we are opposing, a somewhat popular suggestion we have given reasous that are at least worthy of consideration. We don't- want the conscription in New Zealand in any shape or form. We don't want to cultivate the war spirit in our young people. But if we feel the need for increased protection for these Dominions, let it take the form of increased contribution to the Imperial navy to provide an additional cruiser in these waters, and not depend upon the bruised reed of national military training which wonUl fail us in the time of need.