In the House of Lords on Tuesday Lord Wemyss intro-
duced his motion for enforcing the Militia Ballot. Though there were some excellent things in his speech we agree on the whole with Lord Lansdowne and the Government in thinking that the present is not the moment for introducing, or even discussing, compulsion in any shape or form. We must first win the war and perfect our home defence by the means at hand. When that is done and we seriously take in hand, as we must, the question of our military organisation as a whole it will be right and proper to deal with the ques- tion of compulsory service in the Militia. We may state, however, that in our opinion it would be wise to recognise by statute the right of the Crown—i.e., the Government—to call on the whole body of the population between eighteen and fifty in case of invasion or imminent danger thereof. If, in addition, we regularly provided physical education for our people, including the use of the rifle, we could feel secure as to the national defence. At the same time of course the Militia should be increased in numbers, the Volunteer force developed in every possible way, and rifle clubs encour- aged as centres for a local call to arms. Think what it would mean if all round our coasts, in addition to the Volunteers, a large number of marksmen could be provided, and provided on the spot, by the villages and towns within the belt of land twenty miles from the sea. The debate was closed by a not very satisfactory abstract speech by Lord Salisbury, and on a division the Government defeated Lord• Wemyss's motion by 27 votes-69 to 42.
