MILITARY SERVICE,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1911, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE,

[FROS! Otm OWfc CORRKSPONDENT,] SYDNEY, 22nd July. Organised opposition to compulsory military drill has not yet nppeared in Australia. The Labour party oppo?rs militarism theoretically., but practically | joins with other parties in supporting | the training of youths.* Obligatory fcr- j vice was definitely endorsed ab the InterState Labour Conference in ,1608, Nevertheless there in a pormanenb undercurrent of Labour opposition ; and the Socialist party, which condemns Labcur and Liberal alike, is protesting loud' j ly. The Socialists, however, are only ] a very mull Australian minority, Australia it> training at present only the boys from 14 to 18; and iUwill bY some time befoTe, in the; pragre&e of the scheme, the drill sergeant comes to voters' ages. No doubt there are many good easy men, busily affirming drill "k splendid thing for the boys," who would utter grieved remonstrance- if they were turned out to march themselves. But the expectation is that the (spirit, of the young man will rise to the strain upon it, and the gradual applicatibti of the nyfetem will minimise difficulties. There has been no Irottbl© about the lads' registration so far. As far as, can be gathered from a Tough average of reports to hand, nearly 80 pet cent, of "possibles have come forward; and it would appear that a number of the re* mainder consider themselves entitled to exemption undeT the regulations. No prosecution for refusing to register has been reported,' but there have been several prosecutions in ' different States for horse-play on or after parade. There is bound to be friskinesa before colts eettle to harness ; bnt officers of experience are quite content with the beginning just made. One drawback is that officer* of experience are not always available) and the tyro who takes in hand a couple of hundred boys, and endeavours for the first time to bring them into homogeneous discipline, naturally has an awkward time of it. The overawing presence of a policeman has been needed at the early drills. To look at a nondescript squad of two hundred boys of all sorts, and sizes, all gaTbfi and, conditions, gathered for mili* tary training under the common law. is to realise democracy.