The Penn's Grove record., 1903-02-27
4 GREAT ARMY FOR BRITAIN
Premier Admitted Russia Was Men
acing The Indian Frontier.
COMMONS UPHELD GOVERNMENT

BalfOurs in ImpassiOned Speech, Threat
ened to Resign II His Policy Was Not
Supported - Winston Chnrchill's De-
~nunciation Cheers For Reference to
United States - Significance OF Debate
London.-It was decided in the House
Of Commons that Great Britain must
maintain a great army. The decisive
vote was not taken until after Premier
Balfour, in an imprisoned speech,
practically had admitted TINT Russia
was menacing Britain's Indian from
tier. and had threatened to resign If
the program of the Government were
not Endorsed.
When the debate on Mr.. Becketl's
proposed amendment to the address in
reply to the Kings speech at the oper-
ing of the Parliament was resumed the
attack on War Secretary Brodrick was
continued Winston Spencer Churchill
CONSERVATIVE said Mr.. Brodrick's ex-
pectations had only been realized III
two directions, namely, in the decrease
in the number of volunteers and in the
increase Of expenditure.
The speaker further said that the
whole army corps scheme was a sshum-
bug and a sham, and was only intro
duced with the object Of Mflitarizing
England" He asked where the Gov
ernment expected the three army corps
intended for foreign service to operate.
It was not in South Africa, and such
a force was not needed on the Indian
frontier, and they certainly could not
contemplate the three army corps Op-
Grating in Canada, for the United
States was n more prepared to in
wade Canada than Great Britain was
prepared to invade the United States"
Mr.. Churchill added, amid cheers:
And long may that salutary neglect
continue"
In the course of the debate the Lib
eral leader, Mr.. AsQuith, expressed tine
general feeling when he remarked that
the debate was of greater Significance
than the division on it, ands would be
remembered long after the six army
corps had vanished into thin air.
Premier Balfour, In closing the de.
bate for the Government, compliment
ed Mr.. Asqufth Oh going to the heart
of the question, namely-whether the
army was too large and costly for the
empire'ss needs. OF course. he said,
the feet stood first, hut there were
limits to the uses Of a feet. 1t was inn
possible to bring a war to an end with
a feet, which could not even strike Il
heavy blow at most enemies with
which Great Britain might be engaged,
without a strong attacking force of SOL
diers, and it would be folly to deprive
the country Of a means Of offensive ac-
ton in the event Of an emergency.
MI. Balfour commended that three
army corps were necessary to work
outside the empire. They had to con-
slider the defense Of India. He regard
ed. a war between Great Britain and
Russia as in the highest degree i'm
probable, but it "a impossible to for
get that the Indian frontier was the
key Of Great Britain's military position
in the event of such a war, and with
out being an alarmist he wished to inn
press upon them that events moved
rapidly in Central Asia.
1--WE had to consider continued the
Premier, "how far the strategical posi-
ton Of Russia improved year by year.
The Indian frontier is the only part Of
the empire adjacent to a frst-class mill
itary power, and in the improbable and
unhappy event of a war with Russia
we should require not only all the
available forces in India, but all the
forces that Mr.. Brodrick's scheme
places at the disposal Of the Crown
MI. Balfour asserted that the Gov
eminent deserved wen Of the country.
The Government did not trim it's sails
to- popular favor, and if the House de-
sired an army on a scale that the Gov
eminent thought inadequate the House
must look to another government.
The House finally rejected, by 261
votes to 145. Mr.. Beckett's amendment
TO the address, the terms of which Were
tantamount to a. censure oil War Sec
rotary Brodrick.
The division revealed fewer defec-
tons in the Unionist ranks than had
been expected. only about a dozen
Unionists voting against the Govern
ment, while the Nationalist abstained,
walking out in a body when the diyis-
l<fnu wqS called sSfs.% f