THE PROBLEM OF DEFENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 38, 15 October 1913, Page 4

THE PROBLEM OF DEFENCE.

Earl Roberts has an article in the September number ot the “N;;u'te>.nf;i Century and After” in reply to the Duke of Bedford, who in June and July contributed two articles to the same periodical on the problem ot defence. Lord Roberts says; —“1 cannot agree with the main thesis of the Duke’s second article—that the present voluntarily enlisted Regular Army should be largely increased and the Territorial Force proportionately

diminished. In the first place, no largo increase in Britain’s Regular Army is possible with a voluntary -system of enlistment. In the second place, even if this suggestion were feasible, it contains all the germs of failure that exist in the constitution of the Territorial Force. Finally, it is difficult to see how the proposed organisation would increase our

strength either for offence or defence or would in any way provide an adequate return for the additional £4,500,000, which it is calculated to cost. The Duke of Bedford realises the importance of an efficient home army, but disagrees with the proposals of the National Service League, preferring to raise this home army by increasing the Regulars and reducing the Territorials. The Duke does not give a definite statement of the strength or organisation of his amended army, but confines himself to stating that he would abolish the Special Reserve, spend two millions only on the Territorials, and six millions more on the Regulars, a net increase in expenditure of about four and a half millions.

. One can hardly put the in- 1 crease to the peace establishment at a lower figure than 60,000 to 70,000 men, involving some 10,000 additional recruits per annum. How is this large number of men to ho obtained? The Duke of Bedford suggests various incentives to recruiting. ... 1

will not labour this point, but will content myself with saying that it seems move pertinent to mention the fact that at this moment the Regulars, so far from being over strength, are some S,OOO men below theii pi esent meagre peace establishment. "Roe. it really then seem reasonable to expect such a tidal wave of recruiting as would be required to fill the Duke of Bedford’s cadres?” Lord Roberts reiterates that compulsory mi lita i \ training i must carry the day.