Changes in Army Law The Army Annual Bill abolishes the
death penalty for cowardice and some other offences, but retains it for desertion, treachery and mutiny. Cowardice and desertion are so nearly allied as to be sometimes indis- tinguishable, and past divisions in the. House of Commons showed that the desire to abolish the death penalty for desertion was by no means confined to one Party. In these circumstances the Prime Minister has probably been wise in his decision to leave " desertion " after a II to a free vote of the House. We cannot congratulate the Government on their treatment of the Cadet Corps and Lads' Brigades. The Secretary of State for War has explained that the Officers' Training Corps will still receive the grant as they have a military usefulness, but he has refused to continue the small grants to the Cadet Corps and the Lads' Brigade on the ground that they are militaristic in tendency, yet—accord- ing to another of his arguments—are of no military value. We can make little of this reasoning. We only know that the Cadet Corps and the Brigades have taught discipline, obedience, loyalty and unselfishness. No doubt they will carry on without the grants. * * * *
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