ARMY REFORM

Evening Star, Issue 12027, 27 October 1903, Page 6

ARMY REFORM

PUTTING THE HOUSE JN ORDER.

j THE NATION READY. ; Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. j LONDON, October 26. | Mr Brodrick, speaking at Guildford, jus- ; titled the improvements he had effected in the army, in conjunction with Lord Roberts, and declared that the reserves were complete for whatever force might be rent •ibroad. The Committee of National Defence had prepared schemes for all possible | emergencies. The scheme would for ever j prevent a recurrence of the conditions preI vailing in 1899. Salisbury, when j offering him the post of Secretary of War, j remarked that he would be satisfied if he succeeded in layinrj the foundation. He challenged an impartial, thorough examination of his work for the past three years, and claimed that he had laid a substantial foundation whereon hi? successor could build. The public demanded a change not in regard to a reform of the army, but in the machinery whereby army reform and administration were conducted. He felt it would be better that the change should be effected by somebody untrammelled by past traditions ; hence he quitted the War Office, I but would give his able successor every assistance in his power.

' The Times,' commenting on the speech, says that a fundamental alteration—not en alteration oi details—is wanted, and adds: "Until we have a Minuter realising that the defensive frontier lies abroad we shall never have a satisfactory military policy."