In the House of Lords on Friday, May 25th, the
Duke of Bedford raised a debate on the condition of the armed forest of the nation. His speech was excellent both in tone and substance. He urged on the Government the consideration of a pension "for men who, by serving in the Army, the Army Reserve, and in a Home Defence Reserve, hold them- selves at the disposal of the State for twenty-five years." The Duke of Bedford also made a very strong and convincing plea in favour of treating the Militia more seriously, with which we feel in hearty sympathy. He did not, however, think that it was wise to increase the Militia training to six months, for you would lose in the power of attracting re- cruits more than you would gain in efficiency. Equally sound was the Duke of Bedford's warning against destroying the voluntary character of the Volunteer Force. He ended his speech by declaring that the way to avoid conscription was to increase the pay of the Army, "not by pence and halfpence, but by sixpences and shillings."
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