New-York tribune., 1902-10-13
A TORY SQUIRE.
vrFJECTIoNs OF SIR MICHAEL HICKS
Beach AS A CANDID FRIENp-rHE
VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN
TIE WILDERNESS.
TIE WILDERNESS.
London. October 1

.,-doe in Parliament and ir oAioe the privilege
!, ,lsin speaking. Before starting for Inaia "a
,,s,d the coronation duroar al Delhi he has
,,sared before his home constituency AZ Fris-
III "a a private member and candid friens
.,,s, serving his party for thirty-eight wears N
-. Commons and for twenty years in ofHoe
a., NJ the fulneSs OF so unusual an experienos
-. veteran has spoken with dignity and author
80. and since his sincerity ana conscientious
Is have never been questioned his reflections
-, his retirement from active duty AZ the
~..ssury have the force and weight Of q roli-i
al testament During recent years he has been
s,ring strenuous resistance TO military ex
,.,vsesnce wasteful expenditures and reckless
.,gressiveness in foreign affairs ana colonial
,oicies. Sometimes he has been dragged along
.-s,pst his convictions. and oftener there has
hssp a compromise. The strong Will of this
,s.sl country squire has been restraining
.,-,e IN Conservative politics. Now that he can
,ssk with the freedom OF a private member
lnoU,ledge which has come from Official respon-
,fhlitv seasons his admonitions 10 the country
Tta veterans acquiescence in the demands Of
his colleagues that the defenoes OF the empire
sho,la be strengthened was obtained with re-
luctanoe before the war IN South Africa and
ubsn the campaign was begun he was forced 70
ana the money for il; but he has remained an
rnainehing critic of TIE War ofice and an in
esvihle adversary ~ militarism. While ne con
sisers strong navy absolutely vital 20 the
ssfery Of the empire, he sees no reason for in
,rsasea expenditures for shipbunding next year.
and favors the adoption 81 the principle OF a
ebort service ana the establishment OF a re-
SERVE He contends that these reforms win
rsnasr the British navy much less costly in time
=, neaoe ana equally efficient in time Of war
III al
Gov the garrison IN South Africa, a reduction in
military estimates may be made next year. IL
,bsre can be drastic reforms in the War once.
but these results can never be accomplished
until the mass Of military officers are compelled
N nav attention 10 the duties OF their profess
sion and until al those outside influences which
interfere with the management OF the army ana
with the selections for appointments and pro-
motions are removed. No Severer Indictment
has been drawn against the mismana cement Of
the British army than this passage from the
veteran Chancellors speech, and IL is followed
with an earnest and emphatic warning against
the dangers Of unfettered and uncontrolled
military expenditures When the South African
war began the staff was In high revolt against
the Chancellor of the EXcheouer for cutting
down estimates and insisting upon retrench-
ment and sought 70 hold him responsible for its
rstaliates by contrasting the facility and econ
omy with which the SoUdan campaign was car
ned on by Lord Cromer and Lord Kitchener
with the ineputude and wasteful eNtravaganoe
with which the operations in South Africa were
conducted by the War Once.
There is, however. no evidence that the spirit
4 miitarism is declining in the United King
com In each service the warning is sounded
nat the bow OF Ulysses must not remain IN
gEng In the navy a costly construction pro-
ulnme has been in progress during the last
ssua years, and the experts are able 70 demon
Gate that the effective resources Of the British
feet are now in excess OF those Of the COM
hned fleets OF France and Russia: but they are
not satisfied and clamoring for more ships
Of every class 4 navy that is stronger than
those Of any two other European powers ought
TO suffice for the defence of the empire. but the
alarmsts will not be- convinced that the con-
tngency OF general Continental coalition
against England is impossible, and they are
suspicious Of Germany. and are whispering
among themselves that there is only one power
AGAINST which the guns Of the Emperor's new
feet VIII ever be directed The economists ap-
peal Cor a reduction in the construction ac-
count and for the INTRODUCTION n a short term
q service and the creation of naval reserve
vii not be needed The feet is regarded as the
chief national safeguard and defence. No votes
are TO be gained either IN the Commons or I'm
The country by proposals for cheapening the
iaVy. The military experts are even more un-
manageable than the naval authorities when
IetTenchment is urged. The staff favors con-
seFipiion, and does not believe that England
VIII ever have effective and trustworthy
efay SO long as il retains the voluntary system.
When Sir Michael Hicks Beach asserts that
~ krre e-aF-
7" The present esta tabIishrnent and that a drastic
eiorm OF the War Once Is more urgently re-
cured than any increase IN the permanent force,
ne has strong public support, but inevitably
Aeies the hostility of the military class. The
outside influences which arA constantly in
FfieElng with the mana cement Of the army
ana with serious work IN the military profes-
Noh are mainly OF social nature. ana. as he
s'ofniu!ly remarks could never be tolerated
y any well organized department ~ the Civil
Service
Ihs Characteristic cid Tory has more faith
% cautious diplomatic ana colonial policy
nan IN costly armaments Let US attract
e~04a'ns. the sympathies and help OF our
e'sat colonies, not by paroNysms Of mutual ad-
.-usVon' but by respecting both them and our
ives ana with regard 70 foreign nations. let
- carry oCt the golden rule OF doing 20 others
We should wish them 20 do TO US" Instead
ringing the changes upon imperialism, he
c-spss the tone Of Lord John Russell and MI
S1sh m urging self-restraint and avoidance
"'eod.esome activity in foreign affairs. Let
Hot always consider n a menace or injury
ourselves" he remarks sententiously, II
ssa nation follows our own example by
-aoihg some station for the benefit ~ It's
sue Or even by anneNing territory which
lsF'o in harbarous hands has yielded nothing
ne welfare OF mankind The vaporings of
sensational press at home and abroad are 10
Utterly disregarded. and provocation. whether
- "oio OF action is 10 be scrupulous!y avoided
rtF