FURTHER PRAISE. LONDON, September 23.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12882, 24 September 1909, Page 5

FURTHER PRAISE. LONDON, September 23.

The Standard congratulates the Com'nonwealth ipoa the defence prorK^sa's., and says that to Australia may yet belong the high credit of being the first among the States of the Empire to institute compulsory military service. Mr Deakin was well advised to plan an organisation as a compromise between a system maintaining a paid regular army of volunteers and a system maintaining an immense unpaid force recruited under compulsion at a cost of a dual organisation. As the scheme I develops it may become very onerous. In f that case Australia will consider the advisability of extending the compulsory side of the organisation, in order to have an 1 army fit to -fight oh equal terms with any I troops it may encounter. I The Standard questions whether., the I periods of training are adequate relatively to the heavy cost to the population, and the large proportion required to bear arms will indicate the urgent necessity of encouraging immigration and. development.