The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1913. MILITARY TRAINING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 16, 17 January 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1913. MILITARY TRAINING.

Recently Lord Curzon delivered an address at Plymouth, in the course of which he very naturally referred to the Balkan War, remarking that this latest great conflict had more to teach Britain than lessons regarding the precariousness or perils of the international situation. The world had seen a Power, which, in spite of its decay, was thought to be one of the Great Powers of Europe, With five centuries of traditions behind it, with sn army supposed to he especially valiant and keen, crushed like a pack of cards before an enemy inferior to itself in numbers and prestige, and had seen young nations, almost unconsidered, spring with a bound into the first rank of Continental nations. All this had happened not after a long and exhausting campaign but in six weeks. Almost with the rapidity of a cavalry charge the Turks had been driven before the enemy like chaff before the wind. The first lesson to bo learnt was not merely that war might come like a thief in the night, but that might bo concluded with a, rapidity that was startling. For years Britain had been listening to the bland assurances that her Territorial army would have six months in which to prepare after an outbreak of hostilities. Those who had scoffed at the optimism now saw themselves justified by what had taken place in the Balkans. That had knocked the bottom out of Britain’s Territorial scheme even more than the speeches of Lord Roberts. An army to he effective must be ready and efficient to meet any sudden emergency. He frankly confessed himself to be an advocate of compulsory military training for the home army because ho believed that the voluntary system had broken down. Some of bis friends did not agree with him, and others were frightened at the label of conscription, but there was as much difference between the proposal of Lord Roberts and Continental conscription as there was between chalk and

ebeese. They would not expect tiie present Government, who were the authors of the scheme which had broken down, to face the facts, and that was one reason for dispensing witli their services and electing a Government which was capable of putting both the military and naval defences of the country on a better organised basis. Lord Curzon is by no means alone in his views, and it seems highly probable that Britain will have to seriously face the problem of compulsory military training before very long, as some of her young dependencies have already done.