The Otago Witness. (TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1920.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 36

The Otago Witness.

(TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1920.) THE WEEK.

JSVTTH WEIGH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN i ■'JBOURY.

"T'unquam allud natura, allud sapientia dixit." »»-J CTVEK tL.' ; "Good nature arid good sense must ever joia."— PfiPß.

The latest move on the part of the British Labour Party in Council of establishing a Council of Direct Action. Action has been the means

.'.-•■■ of directing pointed attention to that thin line where constitutionalism ends and revolution begins. The inherent weakness in the composition of the Council of Action is that it is a sectional body, and there are consequently grave doubts about its disinterestedness. It is in a measure within its rights in strenuously opposing intervention on behalf of the Russian offensive v on Poland, but when it dreams of paralysing the nation unless its -dictated policy is given effect to it is on untenable ground. So far as it conducts its campaign on constitutional lines in an endeavour to establish peace in Europe it is acting on the wellaccepted lines of British liberty: When it seeks to use the weapon •of dictatorship instead of wholesome and intelligent agitation it parts company with reason and order, and comes into direct opposition with constitutional Government. Mr Lloyd George very clearly outlined that view 'in his speech in the House of Commons. The,Council of Action is a product of an abnormal situation, a fact which was apparently recognised by at least some 'of those present at the Labour Conference which gave it birth. That there are others who dream of dictatorships in the name of the proletariat and who would Use the Council of Action for that purpose ihero can bo little doubt. The situation is oharged with real danger, and will remain.so charged until neaco is established. Europe needs the League of Nations much more than it lias so far realised. One of the ever-pTesenfe dangers is that a substantial part of the nation might be misled by tho abnormalities of the; hour to support Direct Action for the purpose of checking the Government on Other particular points. The peril of the situation is apparent to all constitutionalists.

JThe annual report of the Defence Department and the discussion Defence. which followed on Its being presented to the House of Representatives last week are of special jrablio interest in view of pending phanges in the Dominion's defence methods. The report is in effect an impeachment of the Territorial system, In part because of the lessons of the war, hat also because of the expensive, burdenBorne, and inefficient nature of tbe system in sparsely-populated disti*icts, the failure to reach more than 50 per cent, of those {(ablo for training under the Act, and the {ibsence of any sort of training for the physically Tmflt who most require it. The General Qiilnor CoaWinandlng does not EUg-

gest an alternative, simply eaying that the future policy is for the Government to decide. A large section of tho public has lost faith in the efficacy of the Territorial system, and the candid criticism of Sir E. W. Ohaytor will not in any measure strengthen that failing faith. While the Minister of Defence preferred the Territorial to the Volunteer system, he declared that tho feeling of the country was that the cost of the defence scheme must be cut down. He intimated that the General Officer Commanding had submitted a scheme of training which would in turn be submitted to Cabinet. This will, judging from the trend of the Minister's remarks, be largely confined to a Cadet Force and a system: of camps to take the place of half-day and wholeday drills which had proved so irritating. It is impossible to accurately forecast the new system from either the Defence report or the Minister's remarks, or both. _ Certain it is, however, that the Territorial system, as we know it to-day, will be considerably transformed, and it must be generally admitted that considerable modification is expected by the general public. At the same time some system of training will be necessary, and if this can be confined to the years when youths are not engaged in industry the change will be generally appreciated. Physical training is important, and some inexpensive system might be adopted with good effect. Above all, however, the needs of naval_ training are paramount, and as the Dominion could be attacked only from the sea it is to be hoped that prime importance will be attached to that branch of defence. The full details of the Government's policy will be awaited with a very live interest.