On Wednesday Lord Salisbury dwelt with satisfaction on the fact
that the Government were not in favour of compul. smy service. Though he had great respect for Lord Roberts's opinion, a largo conscript army was not required for home defence and could not be used for foreign service. He did not believe that the people of this country would ever consent to undertake the burden on their time and on their purse which a conscript army would involve. This is a most unfair, though no doubt unconsciously unfair, description of the proposals of Lord Roberts and the National Service League. The lot thing they desire to do is to impose a conscript army upon the people. What they wish is that British patrietiem should be made effective, and that our people lahollId (Mein the immense moral, intellectual, and physical advantages secured by an amount of military training efficient to give them the full powers of manhood, but not long enough to produce the deadening effects of militarism. Every one admits that when next we are engaged in a great war we shall have to appeal to the patriotism of the people. U the National Service League has its way, the answer to that appeal will be worth having. If not, it will be largely a matter of shouting and high-flown sentiment. Finally, it must be painted out that every one realises that we must have some force in the country able to resist raids and invasion. Under the National Service League's proposals such a force would be so irresistible as to prevent any Power from seriously contemplating either a raid or an invasion.
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