COMPULSORY SERVICE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14361, 6 February 1911, Page 5

COMPULSORY SERVICE.

TWO VIEWS.

Press Association—By Tel.— Copyright. Received 6.6 p.m., Feb. 6th. LONDON, Feb. 4.

Tim International Arbitration League hns issued a manifesto signed by a thousand working class leadens, including forty-two Labour M.P's, against compulsory military training, declaring that it is supported by the wealthy, and an organised conspiracy of a reactionary Press, against the workers' liberties. It odds that compulsion in any form is bad, and that' Homo dcfonco doos not need it.

Lord Roberts characterises General lan Hamilton' 3 book as being mischievous, unfair, and wrong in ovory point. [General Sir lau Hamilton's book, issued a few weeks ago, takes up the position that compulsory service is unsuitod to the special militory requirements of the United Kingdom. The book contains a comprehensive Introductory ohaptod by Sir Haldano, Secrotary of State for War, which endorses this view, and the work has therefore boon regarded as praotically an official statomont of the defonoo policy of tho Liberal Government. In his introduction Mr Haitians writes:— " Command of tho sea lios at tho root of tho whole matter. We have not a population that can raise a home army of the mnj+nitude that is possible for some Continental Powers. But our wealth and our great naval tradition make it comparatively oasyfor us to keep well ahead of any possible adversary in naval strength, at oil events for many years to come, and after that the development of the naval and military organisation of the Empire ought to have done tho rest. Wo can, therefore, remain in superior power on' tho water, and wo ought to do so; for nothing else can give us security, and under cover of this superiority, we eon easily build tho relatively smaller military structure that is necessary for a second line for Homedefence. I, therefore, dismiss, in entire agreement with Sir lon Hamilton's view, thle proposition that an army on tho continental model is necessary for purposes of Homo defence." A second edition of tho book has just been issued, with an appendix by Sir Arthur Wilson, Com-mander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet.. 1