DEFENCE LEAGUE

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 19 April 1939, Page 3

DEFENCE LEAGUE

STIRRING ADDRESS BY GENERAL RUSSELL AN APPEAL TO YOUTH. Declaring that the world had passed out of the law-abiding and pledgekeeping. era into one of treaty breaking and power polities, MajorGeneral Sir Andrew Russell stressed the need of military might and preparedness at a well-attended meeting at Waipukurau on Monday night. Reviewing the events that held world attention for some time, the speaker said that it was useless to trust the word of dictators. He recalled the Italian invasion of Abyssinia, undertaken despite League of Nation pledges, referred to the European violation of the non-interven-tion agreement regarding the Spanish Civil War, mentioned Japan’s unjustified attack on China, and Germany’s

invasion and absorption of Austria and Czeeho-Slovakia, and declared that it was highly probable that wo would soon be called upon to protect, ourselves from such. SHARE OF DEFENCE. The speaker doubted if at present the people of New Zealand were bearing their share of Empire defence. In 1938 England was spending £2 5s 9d per capita on defence, while New Zealand’s figure was 9s, yet New Zealand was more wealthy and the people had bigger incomes. In the past, Britain had faithfully adopted the policy of the League of Nations. She alone had carried out her obligations and she had relied upon collective security. The pacts and treaties that followed the World War had been faithfully observed by her. But, as the years went. on, Europe had turned to other policies and collective security had come to mean very little. Then, as a result of the Washington Conference the British Navy had sunk to its lowest level. Recent events had shown that this was an age of treaty-breaking, and it would be wise to judge the dictators not by their words hut by thenacts.

BROKEN THEIR WORD. “What is the use of relying upon men and nations who have broken their word time and time again?” the speaker asked. “England has been compelled to abandon the policy of collective security. She has got to have a strong right arm,” he added. By the Munich agreement England had gained a little time, the speaker declared, hut after what had happened to the smaller nations could it be wondered at that Poland, Greece and Hungary were drifting toward the dictators in the hope of receiving some measure of liberty, rather than to be swallowed up by them through relying upon support guaranteed them, as it had been guaranteed Czeeho-Slovakia.. The question arose, how could New Zealand defend herself? It was evident that Australia and New Zealand should have the closest co-operation, for a major disaster here meant a major disaster there and vice versa. It was useless to rely solely upon an improved air force. EFFICIENT LAND FORCE.

Sir Andrew emphasised that an efficient land force was essential, and mentioned that thirty thousand was not an exorbitant figure. “All lit men should be taught to hear arms,” he said. The territorial forces should be an integral part of the Defence Force of New Zealand, and every man in the country should have a particular duty to perform and a particular place to go when trouble came. He advocated a national register and stood for equality of sacrifice, adding that in a time of war profiteering should not be allowed. He said that he did not think war was inevitable; it could be avoided. It was man-made. The death of one or two men in Europe might alter the whole aspect of the international situation. There w-ere three great essentials needed in New Zealand, and they Were n return te the ethics of the