EARL ROBERTS AND THE BRITISH PEOPLE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43113, 13 July 1907, Page 4

EARL ROBERTS AND THE BRITISH PEOPLE.

Earl Robert®, that splendid soldier and i yet humanitarian, ha® issued the followingl appeal to the British people, which is also applicable to New Zealand:—“l am told that it is hopeless to try to arouse a nation that has declined to take warning by the lessons of the Boer War, and that treats with contempt the revelations andi findings of two such Commissions; but I do; not intend to be disheartened by the reactiona y tendencies of the day, or to abate my confidence in the patriotism of my fellow-countrymen. My belief is that they would respond if the issues were placed clearly enough before them to make them realise the urgent necessity for military reforms, based on the personal effort, and slight self-sacrifice of every* able-bodied citizen. I would indeed be neglecting my duty towards my countrymen, whose generous appreciation has added such encouragement and .stimulus to my work,, were Ito shrink from, the unpopular task!, of urging upon their attention how rapidly the existence of new factors and altered conditions are bringing about a, state of affairs in which our antiquated military system is no longer sufficient, for the defence of our vast, possessions.” This reference to the unpopularity of the task he has undertaken is for us a. measure of the magnanimity which has inspired Lord Roberts in pursuing it unflinchingly, in spite of the apathy with which! his efforts are met by the vast majority of the nation. No one who followed the course, of the South African War can fail to agree with Lord Roberts’ view that if in the autumn, of 1899 we had had 1 a reserve of 500,000 efficiently trained officers and men in the old country, the. campaign in South 1 Africa would hare been ended in the'' first year, and many valuable lives and many millions of money would have been saved. Lord Roberts concludes his valuable' preface with the following words, which go to the root of the principle which we advocate: “The essential idea of National Service is the participation, from motives of patriotism only, of the whole body of citizen® in the defence of the State. It regards such service as the first Right as well as the first Duty which Freedom confers. In a community such as our own; in which the democratic ideal of the Government for the people and by the has been practically realised, how can the taint, which jusStly attaches to conscription, have anything to do with an army raised by the free and l uncontrolled act of the entire nation? The power which in such a State, summons, b- the exercise of its sovereign will, a nation to arms, can, by the exercise of the same will, disband that army. It is the army not of a despot but of the nation: and as a nation’s army or, rather, as a nation in arm®, its very nature is a warranty of peace, wherever peace is consistent with national honour, and the sacred duty of protecting the Fatherland.” In warmly recommending this message to> o.ur readers we will quote only one more passage, a® it seems to sum up the message which Lord Roberts hias to convey to the British neouV • —“Ought we not,” he says, “tot he quite frank with ourselves, and adimSti that there is a. moral training required l every bit .as important to our national welfare a® the physical training which I SO' earnestly advocate—a, training in duty and patriotism, which would bring home to every .boy and man, in. this land that an obligation lies upon him personally to make himself capable of defending his country should the necessity arise!’