The Waikato Argus, [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of over 8500 Weekly. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1911

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 4852, 13 November 1911, Page 2

The Waikato Argus, [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of over 8500 Weekly. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1911

A conference of the Anti-militarist Association was held in Wellington on Friday morning. The result was that it was resolved to call upon all , the branches to hold indignation , meetings to protest against the action of Major-general Godley in causing the distribution of literature of the association at the Christ- j church Agricultural Show to be | stopped. A meeting was called or j that evening, and appears to have I been extremely rowdy, the result j being the passing of a resolution, in spite of the convenors, to the effect that compulsory military training is essential to the defence of the Dominion. We have not seen any of this particular "literature,” hut from what we have seen published from time to time, wo can easily suppose that it was to incite the youth of the country to mutiny, and that General Godley and every citii zen of New Zealand was in consequence justified in taking active measures to suppress it. Thera is no objection to he urged against j what is euphemistically termed by j 1 themselves the peace party agitating j for the repeal of a law which they f believe to be injurious, with a view to causing Parliament to repeal it;, not that there is the remotest chance in this instance of succsss attending their efforts. Parliament was almost unanimous in passing it, and it received the approval of a very great majority of the people, who recognised that it is the duty of every citizen to lit himself for the defence of his country. It is too late to train when a foe is at the door and throwing shells into our cities as a prelude to taking possession of the country. It is as true today as it lias always been, thrt the greatest pacificator is preparedness to resist attack. The peace party, as they term themselves, arc so small in numbers and so lacking in brains and sense of duty, that tnev might be treated with contempt were it not that one of their weapons of attack upon the law of the country is to incite its youth to refuse to do their duty, ns defined by legislation. Whether, fortunately or otherwise, old heads arc not to be found on young shoulders, and young heads are liable to be influenced by blatant, ignorant, and unscrupulous agitators. It is only a few days back that a man answering somewhat to this description delivered an address in Hamilton, and appealed to the young fellows present to refuse to comply with the law-in other words, incited them to mutiny. It is time that such men should find themselves before a magistrate and be awarded a punishment fitting to the crime it is a crime, and one clearly defined by law.