SHOULD BE READY TO SERVE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21324, 19 April 1939, Page 8

SHOULD BE READY TO SERVE

Manhood of Dominion War Might Come at Any Moment By Telegraph Pres? Association WELLINGTON. April 18. National responsibilities were discussed by the Prime Minister when extneding a welcome to visiting delegations at the State luncheon to-day in honour of the delegates to the Pacific defence conference. He said that whatever disaster or emergnecy came along there was much to be done, and for that reason every man up to 45 or even 50 years of age should avail himself of the opportunity to be ready to serve his country. As a layman he felt that the best way to help the British Commonwealth was t > help themselves. A tribute was paid to Mr Roosevelt by Mr Savage, who also commended the statement of Mr De Valera that it was better to have a conference before a war than after one. The name of Franklin Roosevelt, he said, would live when many of them had been forgotten because of the things he had been saying in the last day or two. In extending a cordial welcome to the visiting delegations, Mr Savage said that they were there to exchange opinions as to the best means of defence in the Pacific. He apologised for the absence of Vice-Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin, Chief of the Naval Staff, Australian Naval Board, who is the leader of the Australian delegation and also attached to the British delegation as representative of the Admiralty. The Vice-Admiral is indisposed and the Prime Minister expressed a hope that he would have a rapid recovery. It was time for calm and cool thinking and time for calm and cool action, said Mr Savage. All ought to

know what part they had to play in the defence of the system they and earlier generations had helped to build.

State of the World Mr Savage said that when one looked at the world to-day one could hardly be surprised at the fact that there was a defence conference meeting in Wellington to see what could be done and what should be done to help them keep their end up in this part of the British Commonwealth.”

“I am always ready to lift my hat to men like Mr Roosevelt,” said Mr Savage amid applause. “Without stopping to ask any questions he simply says what is in his soul. I am ready to raise my hat to Mr Roosevelt for a number of reasons and not the least is that in his own country he is up against great difficulties, the reasons for which will commend themselves to those present without amplification on my part. Then, again. I find myself on side with Mr De Valera who thinks it better to have a conference before a war than after it. That seems to me plain common sense. I could talk with a man better before I fought him than after. If our fellows would only talk for 12 months we could be sure that they would not be fighting for that period. There are reasons for all our disagreements and till we put them out of existence altogether we will never get the superstructure we are all asking for and everybody wants. We cannot carry pious resolutions in favour of this and that and wait for results; we have to be prepared for other things that may happen and for that reason we have our good friends among us to-day. Must Look After Ourselves ‘‘As a layman I have always felt that the best way in which we can help the British Commonwealth of Nations is to help ourselves, and if we have anything to spare after that we can leave it to the manhood of New Zealand.” said Mr Savage. “The first thing is to be able to look after ourselves. It is not altogether a boy’s job. I would rather think it was a job for the manhood of New Zealand and. perhaps, in some respects for the womanhood of New Zealand to meet any disaster that came along.”

Mr Savage said there was so much to be done whatever disaster or emergency might come along, and for that reason every man up to 45 or even 50 years of age should embrace the opportunity of being ready to serve. (Applause). That was only just plain understanding among themselves. He hated to use words which meant compelling people to do something they disliked, and to conscript this, that and other things. When a nation had its back to the wall, perhaps isolated from the rest of the world, they should be able to feel that every man would be ready to say. “I am here. What can I do to help?” A lot of people, said Mr Savage, were asking manhood to enrol. He said good luck to them, but it could not be left to their efforts. The people of the country were being asked to play a part in looking after themselves if it should come to the worst. He was hoping in th' near future that they would be asking

every man up to 50 years to do what he himself would do and make every man feel he was defending something that was worth while and that he was playing his part in the defence of a system he had helped to build. Conditions had changed in the last 20 years. Political

systems were in the melting pot and the rights of people to govern were i being challenged and everybody should have their thinking caps on. A Part to Play “This is a time for calm and cool thinking and a time for calm and cool action,’’ said Mr Savage. “It is too late when the balloon goes up, to use a popular phrase, to think about what you are going to do. All ought to know what part they have to play in the defence of the system they and earlier generations have helped to build. I do not claim that the present system is perfect, but the perfection of the amendment of it is with us and not with some individual. It seems to me that the people as a whole should play their part.’’ Might Have to go to War Mr Savage, referrng to the presence of delegates from the United Kingdom and Australia, said they had heard no doubt something about import control. However, there might be no argument about that in a week or two; it might be decided for them. The day might come sooner than they thought when they might have to go to war. It was reasonable to suggest that the reason for the calliing of the conference was not altogether to hear their own voices but because they wanted the best advice on the methods how their kinsmen overseas were going to move and how they in New Zealand could move with them so that, at a given moment, they could start the machine going in such a way that would at least mean something different to chaos. They would have the views of the delegates and it would be the Government’s j< b to implement what was considered necessary by those who should know , the best way to keep their end up in New Zealand. This country had played its part in the past and if obliged to do so would do the same again.