[To SHE Eon.. or ran Srrcrraron."1 lira, — In reference to the
question raised in Mr. Mallins's letter that you have favoured me with a copy of, this is by no means the first occasion the title of my Association has been chal- lenged. It has been discussed at endless Committee meetings, and raised in countless letters. My organization started as a London movement under the name of The London Volunteer Defence Force, and it was only in deference to the War Office that we introduced the word " Training," when, owing to the demands from all parts of the country to affiliate, we became an Association of Corps. It was the very modesty of our pretensions that was a considerable factor in obtaining official recognition. There is no harm in descriptive words such as "National" or " Home Guards" being inserted in the desig- nation of a corps, thus: "The Wayland (Home Guards) V.T. Corps," in the same way as the "Devil's Own" is used; but there are substantial reasons why the official designation should be adhered to by all the corps with serious aims. • One of the factors specially laid down by the Hague Con- vention as essential to entitle armed men to be treated when captured as combatants is that they should be members of a properly constituted force, recognized by the State. The justification put forward, with some show of reason, by the Germans for their treatment of the Belgian Civil Guards was that there had been no State document authorizing them to act as soldiers. I am not prepared to support that plea, but some sort of State recognition is requisite to give legality to a fighting force. That, in the case of the Volunteers, is found (1) in a statement in the House of Commons on November 17th by Mr. Asquith when the Volunteer Training Corps was specially mentioned; (2) in the War Office letter to Lord Deaborough, dated November 19th, granting the recognition; (3) in the following extract from the "Supple- mentary Instructions E," dated November 30th, addressed to the Lords-Lieutenant :— "The policy of the Government is to encourage every man to take his part in the present struggle. If be is of proper age and physique, and not excluded from enlistment by employment in Armament Works, Railways, &c., he should enlist.
If he is not of proper age and physique, he should join the nearest Volunteer Corps which is affiliated to the Central Associa- tion of Volunteer Training Corps. The War Office have recognized this Association and Volunteer Corps affiliated thereto.
Every man who takes this latter comae will be provided with a Badge and will be counted as a combatant, though no arms, ammunition, or clothing (other than the Badge) will be supplied from public sources, and no financial assistance will be given. Any one who declines either to enlist or to join en affiliated Volunteer Corps should be informed that he must not take part as a combatant in the defence of his country, and in the case of invasion must be prepared to surrender any arms which he may bavo in his possession. He will be liable to all non-combatant duties, such as digging trenches, burying the dead, A.c."
I admit the title ie a bit cumbersome, but the letters " V.T.C." are becoming as popular as " 0.T.O." or "0.1.V.," and I am rather inclined to think that a man only pre- pared to give his spare time to National Service Lae no right to claim a high-sounding military title for his corps. Besides, my Association has found no difficulty in getting men to join Volunteer Training Corps wherever any serious attempt has been made to start one: the success of the Guildhall meeting, held under the auspices of my Association, shows that the movement is not wanting in enthusiasm.
The War Office will not permit us to attest a man, and we depend entirely on the goodwill of the members of the corps. We have not had a single ease of insubordination reported to us from the hundreds of corps drilling. This is because the men who belong to a Volunteer Training Corps are keen, and have not been attracted merely because of a smart uniform and a pretentious title. I do not think it is generally realized how well established the movement is. There ie an impression abroad that help is required to start something new, blab the War Office estimated in November that there were a million men training in the various corps, though all these are not affiliated, mainly because of our insistence on strict adherence to the War Office Regulations. This number has been considerably added to during the last month.
We are supplying speakers at the rate of thirty a week to towns desiring to start corps, while the correspondence runs into hundreds of letters daily, asking for rules and advice to start new units. Some of the corps have already reached a high standard of efficiency, and General Sir O'Moore Creagh, 7.0., G.C.B., and his Military Committee report in most glowing terms on the work done. Several of the battalions in and around London are already complete in every respect, with motor ambulance, field kitchen, signalling section, and even field telephone. But though good work has been done in shooting at miniature ranges, arms are badly wanted. Some of the men have bought their own rifles, but even in the best corps only a percentage are armed. 1 therefore put in a strong plea for contributions to the Spectator Fund, which will go to help those corps which have already earned recog- nition by months of hard work. Uniform, too, is wanted. The five•inch "brassard" may satisfy the Hague Con- vention, but is only a makeshift. The Volunteer Train- ing Corps Military Committee have given considerable attention to the matter, and have aimed at two things : (1) Reducing the cost to a minimum so as to bring it well within the pockets of the poorest corps ; (2) selection of a colour (not khaki, as the use of this is not approved by the War Office) difficult to sea at a distance. With this double purpose in view, a green-grey rainproof drill has been selected, to be worn with cotton whipcord breeches and brown leather gaiters ; but, cheap as this uniform is, some of the poorer corps will want help if they are to obtain it. But as a proof of the enthusiasm prevailing, none of these corps have waited to get uniform, and have done months of drill and field work in their ordinary workaday clothes, It would do some of your readers' hearts good to see some of these men at work, and though I hesitate to signal out any for special mention, I shall be pleased to let your readers hear of a corps in their neighbourhood. In concluding, let me thank the Spedator for its support, which came at a critical moment in the history of the movement, and will help us to tide over some of our difficulties.—I am, Sir, Sse.,
Headquarters—Judges' Quadrangle, Royal Courts of Justice (Carey Street entrance).
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