The discussion on the Militia was followed by a debate
on the Yeomanry, in which the Yeomanry officers urged strongly upon the Government the importance of maintaining the pay of the troopers. Lord Roberts and Lord Midleton dwelt upon the very great danger of doing anything which might injure a force that bad proved so useful and satisfactory as the Yeomanry. In the end Lord Crewe declared that the Government bad an open mind, and that he would consult Mr. Haldane to see how far it was possible to meet the views of the Yeomanry. We sincerely trust that this means that the Government will give way on this point. At the same time, we agree with Lord Lansdowne that the House of Lords ought not to take upon itself the responsibility of pressing Lord Scarbrough's amendment on which the discussion took place, and which would have exempted the Yeomanry from the operation of the Bill. If the Opposition had been responsible for the Bill, no doubt they would have treated the Yeomanry in a different manner, but since the Government was responsible, and it was an essential part of the Government's scheme that the Yeomanry should remain in the Territorial Army, be could not feel justified in advising Lord Scarbrough to insist on his amendment. In other words, the whole question of carrying on the national Army is so important, and the risks of producing chaos so great, that those responsible for the Parliamentary opposition cannot push matters to extremes. Even dangerous compro- mises may in certain cases be better than mere negations.
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