The Dominion. COMPULSORY SERVICE IN BRITAIN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1729, 21 April 1913, Page 6

The Dominion. COMPULSORY SERVICE IN BRITAIN.

A , The discussion in the House of Lords on the state of the Army (reported in our cable columns to-day) is of great importance to the whole Empire. It shows that the British Government is being compelled by the sheer pressure of plain facts to admit that tho territorial system has broken down, and that something more must be done in the way of land defence. Tho Marquis of Crowe went so far as to. state that the position is "grave," and ! that the Government must see what steps are possible on a voluntary basis to enable a margin of safety to be properly maintained. Ho will not yet admit that the position is serious enough to call, for "a heroic remedy, by which, of course, he means compulsory military training. Loud Herschell, however, went a step further than the Marquis of Crewe. He declared that, the _ Government docs not propose to introduce at once compulsory _ service, but when tho present inquiries arc concluded it will not shrink from any steps necessary for the public safety. Theso arc very significant statements, and may fairly be taken as foreshadowing very important changes with regard to the organisation of tho Army. The best elements in tho countfy have long been dissatisfied with Ministerial assurances that all is well—assurances that have been contradicted before their very eyes by the territorial breakdown; and an unwilling Gov-" eminent has now been forced to admit that other measures must be tried. To' Lord Hohekts more than to any other man must the credit be given of opening the eyes of the people''of Great Britain to. the extreme gravity of tho situation and r of arousing throughout tho land, a spirit of rational patriotism, which recognises that it is the duty of every able-bodied citizen to (it himself to do his part, in the defence of his country in time of need.

For noma times past military _cxDorts have realised that Britain's

present Army is not sufficient to pr.oyide an adequate safeguard against all possibility of invasion, and that it is not strong enough to enable the Empire to exercise its full weight in the counsels of the nations. Europe is just now passing through a very critical period. The defeat of the Turks has given rise to a very delicate situation as regards the apportionment of the conquered territory, and even apart from that the Eastern Question remains. It has simply been transferred to Asiatic Turkey. If things go well there, it can only be, as the Spectator says, "through something happening which has never yet happened in history, namely, the reform of a purely Mohammedan Power from inside and by its own volition." The position of the Aus-tro-Hungarian Empire _ with its enormous Slav population is also unstable; and the extension of German influence in Denmark may cause a critical situation at any moment. The old feud between France and Germany has been stirred up once more by the recent happenings at Nancy, and these two nations are increasing their armies at great cost. Unless Britain is to lose her prominence amongst the nations of the world and her influence in shaping and controlling tho destinies of Europe, she, must place her army on a more efficient basis. The position is stated very clearly by the London Times in tho following words:—

Tho object of British policy is tho preservation of European peace, but this object, in which tho very existence of tho British Empire is involved, is only to bo attained by corresponding sacrifices. Every other great European' nation has reached the conclusion that its own necessities require an increase of its armed strength Great Britain alono, whilo. fully conscious of tho situation, still shrinks from deciding to face the new requirements and to meet them. Our armed strength, as wo are beginning to realise, was woefully deficient under the old conditions. How shall wo make our voico heard with effect under the new conditions upon which we are now entering? That is tho problem which our leaders have to face, and it will not te solved by vain regrets about developments which we canuot prevent and daro not ignore.

It has now become evident that nothing but a system of compulsory service can provide Britain with an army sufficient for her needs. A raoro powerful army is an absolute necessity for defensive purposes, and it would also have its effect, morally and upon tho whole, future of tho nation. The stamina of the people has been adversely affccte'd by the rapid growth of the great cities at the expense of the rural districts, and there can be no doubt that the regular military training of the young men in the open air would tend to increase their physical fitness and powers of endurance. Then again military discipline, tho sense of responsibility and the necessity for co-operation in the life of tho soldier would prove important factors in counteracting that lack of respcct for constituted authority,' tho love of ease and sclf-indulgcnce,'and the tendency to resent all forms of restraint which are characteristic of tho present age, due in a large measure to the -weakening of family tics and of parental control. As Bishop Julius said at Ohristchurch on Friday, "it is an undisciplined age. Thero is no discipline in the homo ani very little out of it'; ancl self-discipline is not reckoned as a necessary element in the develop-' ment of man." Dit. Julius is not' unreasonably optimistic when he tells us that he is "looking forward to the,time when,military training, in this country, so far from stirring us to strife and war, will make our mjn resolute, strong, and hard, and will raise up a manhood amongst us that will be greater than the manhood of the past." If these benefits may be expected in New Zealand, it is only rcasonablo to anticipate equally good moral and physical results in the Mother Country. But in any case the time has come for Britain to make its, decision as to whether or not she is prepared to follow the example of France ani Germany, Australia an 4 New Zealand, and to . take a'step which is absolutely necessary jf she is to maintain her place in the front rank of tho nations of tho world. Lokd Roberts has roused the country as no other man _ could, and his magnificent reception at Leeds recorded in to-day's cablegram is a good indication of , the , "great revolution" which he states has taken place, in public opinion on the question, and points unmistakably to the fact that tho time is now ripe for the inauguration of tho new ancl better era in the military history of the nation.