UNIVERSAL TRAINING.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 680, 1 April 1909, Page 4

UNIVERSAL TRAINING.

The deoisiou of the Australian Prime Minister to propose a schemo of universal oompulsory training in advanoe of the ono whioh his predecessor, Mr Deakin, proposed, was one of the most interesting features of our cabled news yesterday. It was published simultaneously with an intimation that the New Zealand Government contemplated the preparation of a "Defence Boll" of yonng men between the ages of 17 and 21-presnmably to make training oompulsory between these ages. The New Zealand Premier is an enthusiasts volunteer and himself took a vory aotive part in the movement at

Invercargill, but he has hitherto shrunk from anything whicli savonred of oompnlsion in the matter as against the whole spirit of the country. Last year there was a statement by Colonel Davis that compulsory training should be adopted and the Prime Minister, who we believe was at Anokland at the tme, was inundated with letters and telegtams of protest, hundreds of which came from large employers who held that anything of the kind must dislocate industry, while other sections of the community wore equally emphatio in condemnation. THEN AND NOW.

We believed then, in spite of these strong mnifestations of feeling, that compulsory training was both'necessary and advisable, and we believe that public opinion is steadily advancing in that direction. The two sections that havo been most opposed hitherto have been the employers nntl the Labour Unions. It is significant that a Labour Premier of Australia has beon ooustrained by the sheer force of oiroumstanoes to adopt as his own the polioy -which the Sydney Bulletiu has for years past been rating the Labour Party for not adopting, and in addition to propose the oousfcruotion of a fleet of destroyers. Curiously enough this departure has been assisted by a boys' movement whioh has resulted in the formation of a remarkable number of ".Boy Soout" Corps among sohool boys, the boys using Baden Powell's work as a textbook, having regular Boouting parties and reconnoitring on all available days, a simplo uniform, soout masters and a central organisation. Some hundreds of them "all over 4ft. 9in.'' were to form a guard of honour on Sir Harry Rawson's departure. Coming thuß up from the sohools, and among their own sons, the feasabilitv of a scheme of servioe beginning with the cadets appears to have impressed itself upon the Labour Ministry, and recent events have brought the matter to a head.

» WILL IT DO HERE? It will be interesting to see whether the example thus shown and the spirit of the tiiueß will lead to a similar movement here. We have no doubt the Ministry would move if it oould see its way to bringing about universal training without dislocation of industry. We believe it oan, and moreover that it would do an incalculable amount of good by taking yontlis and young men off the streets at a time when it is far better to give them some suoh healthy interest as this would be. Universal military training in the extreme form of oonscription iias marvellously improved the physique of the German people while wo have heard a very great deal about deterioration on the part of the British who larikit.' What we want to sait oar conditions is an elastic system whioh would adopt itself to the oircumstanoes of different districts and oooupations and provided .the training, wore seoured and effioienoy attained would regard more the end than the means. '■

AN OMINODS ADMISSION. As for the progress of what may he termed the "Dreadnought situation," there is further evidence in our to-day of how timely Sir Joseph Ward's notion was, and there is a most significant cable that the notorious " Kruger" telegram hitherto looked upon as a blazing indisoretion of the Kaiser himself, Was the deliberate set-up of his advisers. Suoh an avowal now oau only be intended to be provocative and has an ominous sound.