The splendid labours of Lord Roberts on behalf of National
Defence were duly honoured at a meeting at Apsley House on Wednesday. In celebration of his eightieth birthday members of the National Service League and others presented him with a statuette symbolizing "Armed Peace"
and a cheque for £5,000, which Lord Roberts is devoting to the aims of the League. In acknowledging the presentation Lord Roberts said that the work of the League had been labour of love to him. The principle of universal military training was the only fair, manly, and democratic method of raising a national army. The Territorial Associations had done all that was possible to make Lord Haldane's scheme a success, but the net result was that precious time, money, and energy had been utterly wasted. He recalled the words spoken by Colonel Seely in 1902, fresh from his experiences as a Yeomanry officer in the war, "It would be extremely desirable that it should be obligatory for every male in this country to be trained to arms," and observed that they were even more valuable now than when they were first spoken.
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