THE NATION'S ODD - MAN.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I read with much pleasure Mr. Strachey's speech in your last issue under the above heading, but I greatly fear that, so far as my. part of the country is concerned, the tragedy has occurred already, and anything the Government may now do will, in the words of the War Munitions Minister, be "too late " to bring back life into the V.T.C. Rather over a year ago, ,seeing that nothing was being done in our own parish, eight or nine of us joined a squad in a neighbouring village and walked two miles each way to drill on Sunday afternoons and two even- ings in the week. Some of our members were engaged in clerical work, and to them the exercise was a boon ; but others worked on the• land all day, and it showed some keenness upon their part to undertake this addition to their labours. Our muster roll was sixty or over. We had the advantage for some months of instructions from an ex-Army sergeant (now with the colours), and upon his leaving another old soldier took up the work. We had an excellent miniature range under cover for winter and another in the open for summer. Most of us have passed as first-class shots. We have joined in field days in the country, parades in the neighbouring town, and done all we could to make ourselves efficient; but we would not buy uniforms, first because we were not recognized by the Government, and secondly because many of our members could not afford to do so. The only duty we have been asked to undertake—viz., to mount guard over stores eight miles away—we have done, and we have cost nobody outside our own body so much as sixpence. All this sounds nice, but, alas ! there is another tale to tell. At every drill one began to hear the remark : " What use are we ? The Government don't want us. Why should we waste our time ? " Well-wishers to tho movement got up smoking concerts, shooting matches, &c., but all of no avail. The numbers dwindle down and down. Our instructor walks two miles each way to drill six or eight men. Last week we mustered four and came home again, and even the last of us think it is time to write Finis.—I am, Sir, &c.,
SIXTY, BUT WILLING.
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