NATIONAL SERVICE BY CONSENT.
rro THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."' Sra,—As a constant reader of the Spectator I am surprised that no reference has been made in the correspondence in your columns on this important question to volunteering in India. On all railways in India volunteering is obligatory, the special duty of Railway Volunteers being to protect and keep open the railway lines in time of war. The fact that -volunteering on railways in India is obligatory and that the results are fairly satisfactory, in face of the fact that the majority of European railway servants in India are not employed in offices but belong to the running staff, entailing a certain amount of difficulty in getting hold of men for drills, &c., would point to the fact that compulsory National Service in England, where the bulk of the popu- lation have regular hours, would not be a difficult matter. Among Railway Volunteers the officers are appointed from the railway officials, but members of the subordinate staff who show themselves keen and capable both in railway and Volunteer work are from time to time granted commissions. I admit that the majority of us "grouse" somewhat at having to turn out for drills and field days, but that, after all, is the privilege of an Englishman, and the work is done all the same. In his letter to your address in the issue of the Spectator dated January 4th, 1913, Lord Roberts remarks that the right to vote entails the obligation to defend one's country; should not the converse be also true, namely, that the obliga- tion to help in defending one's country, or that portion of the Empire in which one's work lies, confers the right to vote ? I raise this question because I have been an obligatory Volunteer officer for some fifteen years, am in my fortieth year, and have never yet possessed a vote.—I am, Sir, &c.,
January 81st, 1913. F. C. LEGGE,
District Superintendent, East Indian Railway, Asansol, Bengal.
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