For ourselves, we cannot express entire satisfaction with the remarks
of any of the chief speakers in the debate. We desire a strong Regular Force and great facilities of expansion as ardently as Lcrd Roberts. We think, however, that this ideal is to be reached by a proper organisation of our existing Auxiliary Forces on a volun- tary basis rather than by the adoption of any new scheme. On the other hand, we are desirous on moral and physical considerations that a larger proportion of the youth of the nation should receive a military training. And as a first step we should like to see facilities given to every lad in the country to undergo a period of six months' military training. We would not, that is, compel any man to undergo training, but if he desired to do so, as we believe the best part of the nation would desire, he should receive training. The vast majority of the lads thus trained would find their way either into the Militia or the Volunteers. A proof of this is, we think, to be found in the fact that practically the whole of the men now undergoing six months' training at Hounslow in the Spectator Experimental Company who are not going into the Regular Army or the Police or going abroad state that it is their intention if possible to join the Volunteers. We wish that the leaders of the National Service League would consider the possibility of making a beginning by urging on the nation the establishment of a system of universal voluntary training.
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