MILITARY TRAINING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12718, 13 August 1919, Page 6

MILITARY TRAINING.

CONTINUOUS SCHEME. PRESBYTERY DISAPPROVAL The question of the military training of the youth of No ■■ Zealand came before the Christchurch I’reshytcry at its meeting ihis morning, when the llev Dr Erwin submitted a resolution from a committee set up to consider the subject, particularly in regard to that jxirtion of the military proposal to take hoys of about, eighteen years of age and keep them in a training camp for a continuous period of four mouths. Dr Erwin submitted the resolution, which was as follows : ;i That the .Presbytery, while realising the lined of some scheme of defence, is of opinion that the covenant entered into by the League of Nations demands a decrease rather than an increase, of military preparation; further, that any scheme should not involve the segregation of young men of eighteen years of age in ono encampment for a- period extending over tom' months, and that much of the work suggested in the new schr-me could befier he conducted under the Education Department.” The mover did not think the League of Nations could accomplish the impossible and it was perhaps necessary io make some military provisions to cope with future happenings. The conditions which had been imposed upon the Central Bowers would probably do away with conscription- It had been well .said that to be prepared for war was to prevent wav, and had Great. Britain been properly prepared for war Germany, notwithstanding hei great preparations, would probably not liavo launched the world tragedy- The win-'’ mug nations had entered into a covenant in the Peace conditions to reduce armaments. The imposing of the same conditions on the defeated nations would make war very difficult in the future. The jseople of the British Empire had been fighting to put down militarism, and now that they had accomplished that great task the people of the Dominion viewed the attempt to foster militarism in the. form of intensive braining of the youth of the country with concern. German soldiers were the most intensively trained soldiers in the world, and. the world had seen what was the result of this intensive training, which military authorities said was so necessary in this country. The- attempt of the military to capture the youth and train it to militarism must be nipped in the hud. The German youth, had been captured and trained to such a stage as had enabled Germany to defy the world for nearly five years. A certain training was, no doubt, good and was -required, but not intensive training, such as was p<reposed. which could only result in creating the class of military spirit that. Germany had raised and fallen on. Therein lay a great warning. Mho the officer was that propounded the four months’ training scheme the speaker knew not, but he asserted that the authorities should he given thoroughly to understand that the people did not approve the proposal. He believed that the opinion of Presbyterians on the subject was tho same as prevailed generally throughout New Zealand. The neoplo were still being called on to fight militarism. The greatest menace had been, removed, but it was vital to the future interests of the. Dominion to prevent the military dominating the countrv. The training which he, and he believed the people of New Zealand, considered necessary, could he given through the Education Department and the schools. Everything should be done to raise and maintain the physical standard, hut intensive military training was not the right wav, for it created a wrong spirit. The Rev John Paterson, in seconding the motion, gave Sir James Allen every credit for being an earnest man. thoroughly wrapped up in the interests of the country. But ho considered Sir James was not right in urging military training of the youth of the country, such as was proposed, for a. four months 1 , period in camp at the most impressionable period of the hoys’ lives. A certain amount of training was'good tor a bov, but it should not he carried out by the military, but bv the Education Department, which had all facilities for carrying out the work, in the night atmosphere, and with no fear as to ultimate results, whether moral or physical. The atmosphere in military camps was undesirable. The Revs J. S. Reid and J. Johnsten also, supported the motion which was carried unanimously.