On Monday and Tuesday the House of Commons discussed the
Army Estimates. Monday's debate, which chiefly turned on compulsory service, we have discussed elsewhere. On Tuesday Mr. Arthur Lee secured from the Prime Minister a promise to bear in mind his suggestion that an opportunity should be provided for a comprehensive survey of naval and military problems taken together, as opposed to the practice of considering the two branches of defence in water- tight compartments. Mr. Balfour's attitude towards Mr. Haldane's scheme was on the whole decidedly sympathetic. The amendment for reducing the number of men having been rejected by 247 votes to 100, the vote was agreed to. We note with great regret that Mr. Balfour expressed no sympathy with the policy of the National Service League,—an omission which we fear was deliberate, and is therefore significant. Unless the advocates of universal training insist upon obtaining a definite expression of opinion from Mr. Balfour before the next General Election, it is to be feared they will find that a Unionist victory means the elimination of their proposals from the region of practical politics. Mr. Balfour must' be made to realise that the supporters of the National Service League are in grim earnest, and that they will not consent to the question being shelved till the Parliament after next.
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