Sir George Foster Pearce KCVO PC 1870-1952

A farm worker and carpenter, Pearce joined the Labor movement, campaigned for federation and was elected to the inaugural Senate. As an anti-militarist, the defeat of Russia by Japan in 1905 converted him to espousing compulsory military training, formation of an Australian navy and establishment of military and a naval colleges.

He was Minister for Defence from 1914 to 1921, carrying the brunt of the war effort, keeping the home defence militia active, repatriation of the AIF, and reestablishing the militia as the post-war army.

Pearce remained active politically, representing Australia at the Washington disarmament conferencs in 1921 and 1922, then taking minor portfolios until again becoming Defence Minister in 1932. He promoted an increase in expenditure as the Depression eased, mainly to the benefit of the navy.

Defeated in the 1937 election, he was appointed to the Board of Business Administration, which attempted to control extravagances in the Armed Services during World War 2, and promote rationalisation between them, a topic only beginning to be tackled seriously in the present decade.