The debate on Mr. Brodrick's Army proposals was opened on
Monday by Sir Henry Campbell - Bannerman, who condemned them as increasing the burden on the nation without adding substantially to its military strength. Mr. George Wyndham, who spoke for the Govern- ment, defended the army-corps plan, noted that eighty- five battalions were required abroad, and eighty-five linked battalions at home to feed them, and mentioned that in pay, or the equivalent of pay– i.e., dress, housing, Ste.— the British soldier is now paid at the rate of 30s. a week. [What an army we should have if some reformer could be found bold enough and ingenious enough to devise a plan under which the soldier was given 30s. a week, and made to " find " himself, after the manner of the Indian sepoy.] Mr. Winston Churchill wound up the debate of Monday in a speech which, if it contributed little to the matter in hand—i.e., bow to obtain a sound Army at a reasonable price—certainly showed great political perspicacity in the speaker. The country is
beginning to feel not a little annoyance at the burden of military expenditure, and to respond to the reaction inevitable after a war period. Mr. Winston Churchill, who is very sensitive to popular feeling, is evidently prepared to give voice to this impatience. Accordingly he denounced expendi. ture on the Army, asked for economy instead of extravagance, and declared that we were starving the Navy, our true source of security, in order to increase the Army.
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