MILITARY TRAINING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 22 November 1907, Page 2

MILITARY TRAINING.

"Un what compulsion must IV' demanded bhylock, when told that he muni be iuerciiul, and ever since the word* were written tne embodiment of the principle of compulsion in Acts oi i'arlnimcni lias been very jealously regarded, it is nut lelt tu the enthusiastic patriotism, the sense of duty, or the conscience of the individual to say wiiether lie will pay taxes, tor the reason that it is realised very lew would respond in such a ease. The payment oi taxes, therefore, is compulsory. Under the Education Act of this .Dominion, the principle of compulsion is clearly expressed. At the time that Act was passed, however, the number of parents who neglected to scud their children to school was inconsiderable, and it was felt that they were not entitled to any regard, inasmuch as they neither did Lheir duty to the Slate nor to Lheir oilppring.

Even iu that case it is certain that the principle of compulsion would not have been acceptable had it not been accompanied by ihe provision of free education. jS'o great hardship can be said to be placed upon an individual when, in the general interest, he is compelled to do a thing that costs him nothing to pcriorm. Just ae> it was felt that every mail owed it as a duty to the State to educate his children, so it will be admitted that every man should so educate himself that, when the hour of trial conies, he is capable of rendering good si'rvii-e for the protection of Ihe hearths and homes ol the Dominion. But in the process of so educating himself he will retjuire to devote time, and perhaps expend money as well. He may not be willing to make the tsaerilices required of him. On the other hand, he may be willing, but, naturally, he looks round to see that others are called upon to make the .-ante sacrifices as he is : prepared to render. There must be equality of sacrilice in this at? in everything el>e connected with Hie State, and if the people of this Dominion decide upon the establishment of a compulsory military training, then, in order to secure as far as humanly possible equality of sacrifice, they must set up a system somewhat on the lines of that adopted in Switzerland.

There is no people on the face of the globe so happily situated as the residents in thin Dominion. The islands of 'Japan are not far distant from the main land, ami the Japanese had entailed upon them the necessity of going to war in order to drive away the Kussmiis from their vicinity. Notwithstanding her magnificent Jleet and her coast defences., the island* of the mother-land are not' wholly free from the fear of a one-time invasion. For any (iovernuient to contemplate the sending o)\aJillibustpri»g expedition to attack the people orthe-e islands, they must first have a ship, or rjhips, capable of carrying a >uHU r ieney of coal to bring them heiv ami take them back again to the port fi'-ini which they sailed. There are no Midi ships at present in lite po.--rvsiou of any foreign power. Supposing, however, that Mioiv were Mieh ships, and that they did eome, also that they succeeded in destroying the defensive works ol eouie of our principal cities--which perhaps would not prove, a very difficult- matter—then, a-suredly. we ought to have at hand a force capable of effectually resisting a binding. That appears to be all that preseul circumstance* require of us. It is necessary that something more should be done in the way of educating our people in the use of arms, and the >oonev the better for the safety of the country.