MR. DUFF COOPER AND FREEDOM

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 158, 1 April 1937, Page 11

MR. DUFF COOPER AND FREEDOM

“Men Who Sneer at Territorials”

“It is something to-day to live in a free country, and it ought to be impressed on those young men who lounge about and waste their leisure and sneer at the Territorial Army that this is the only country in Europe to-day where they would not be compelled by force to do their duty,” declared Mr. Duff Cooper, Secretary for War, speaking at the prize-giving of the 59th AntiAircraft Brigade Royal Artillery (T.A.), at Walthamstow. “While we keep the flag of freedom flying in this corner of Europe, we can only do so if we realise the duty that lies upon the best of our manhood to train themselves in flays of peace for the fearful possibilities which they may have to face in flays of war.” Mr. Duff Cooper said he was proud of the privilege of freedom, for he believed that one volunteer was worth four or five pressed men. Peace was the greatest interest of Britain, and the greatest service to peace to-day was presenting the world with a strong, well-armed British Empire. Territorial Army strength had passed the stage when they were begging for recruits, and was reaching a stage when they could select the recruits and take only the best. A 70 per cent, rise in the strength of the unit since its conversion with others from the infantry to the Royal Artillery was announced by LieutenantColonel C. D. Martin, commanding officer.