Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-10-01
woLsELgYs FIXED IDEA
The English Commander Discusses the
Merlts OF General CONSUMPTION.

The English Commander Discusses the
Merlts OF General ConscrIption.
Lord Wolseley, the only General En-
gland is supposed 10 have in reserve
for great campaign, Is an outspoken
advocate OF universal military service,
In an article in the Fortnightly Review
he refers to this system a, a precious
legacy bequeathed by the first French
revolution to Europe. and then pro-
ceeds to enlarge upon the benefits
which are conferred upon tho nations
OF the continent by standing armies
and general CONSUMPTION. He takes tho
German army as the highest existing
type OF modern system OF military or
ganization, for which the changes Of
feceod In tho wars OF French revo,u-
tlon opened and prepared the way; and
he expresses profound admiration for 1t
as soldier and still more as a citizen.
Great as 1t is for war;" he exclaims.
sit is infinitely greater as national
school for the moral, mental and ply
steal training Of the people" The
German army, In his judgment, Is n
national blessing. 1t supplies perfect
system OF physical training for menp
promotes habits OF cleanliness. ordo.'
and obedience, and affords moral ed
ucation that could with difficulty be
furnished In any other way. 1t teaches
all those virtues which serve TO
make men good subjects and law
abiding citizens. 1t is alike the strong
est bulwark against communism and
the greatest of peace institutions.
Universal military service in Lord
Wolseley's judgment is not only tho
direct outcome OF the revolution OF
1889. but its most valuable result
Englishmen will be startled to learn
that instead OF setting Europe good
example by obstiuately reiraining from
participating in the military movement
OF the last thirty years. they have neg
lected TO make use OF one OF the grand
est opportunities OF modern civilian
tion. They have set their faces stern
ly against the policy OF maintaining
large standing armies, and compelling
every man physically fit for service to
spend several years in barracks and
with the reserves. Their greatest
soldier tells them plainly that they are
depriving the English people OF the in
comparable advantages OF physical
and moral training in the best school
Of citizenship; that German civilization
Is vastly superior to their own, and
that one OF these years they will learn
under the pressure OF necessity the
most important lesson OF the great
social and political revolution Of the
last century.
IL Is fortunate that the English
speaking race has had wiser and more
philosophical mentors than this fan
tastic hero OF the Ashantee war. Tel
el-Kebir and tho disastrous desert cam
paigns on the Upper Nile. Washing
ton, Wellington and Grant were SOL
diers superior in every respect to this
ELUSIVE admirer OF existing European
camps and tactics, and they abhorred
war and military life and loved arts
and industries OF peace. Lincoln
united with G adstone and Bright in
war and standing armies
as allied forms OF barbarism alien to
the genius Of Christian civilization. II
Lord Wolseley were a moro genuine |
and CONSTANT Englishman he would |
not be found extolllng the virtues OF
IN iiif n ~ oonsor;,ttn, I'D ha r-a,ir Iifo