Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-24
War OFFICE is ATTACKED
01zErvRtIvH JON LIbsrslE n Ceusurng
British Army Minister
DECLARE HAY Is STILL CHI BUlwARK
Ridirule Rroderirk~r scheme 10 In
crease Land Forr-r bv Oa-oOO
NJ n Cess of Fifty MI
lion nounrH

LONDON. Feb c2-Tbe criticism Of tn
British Var of1ce eliminated in the House
Of Commons today in q motion for q vote
Of censurv against VIZ Secretary Brudrick
The mndnn wns IN the shHpe Of an
Bmsndmenf To thE address in reply TO the
speech trun the throne reErertinE the
fRCt thar the Organization Of the Army
WIS moi suited 10 the needs Of the empire
ana Thai no p-rUpurdunIIR gain In strength
O. ehriEnu hEd resulted trUm the recent
increase Of military EpsndirureE--
Grverumeuf Forces Revolt
The mutiur was Identical with an amend
msnt moved by Sir Henri Campbe1-Ban-
herman the liberal leader. when MI.
Brodrick introduced hT army reform
scheme in 1901 Today. however. the vote
o. censure was proposed by Mr. Beckett
an Influential conservative who was sup
ported by a considerable section Of revolt
ing unionists.
In introducing the motion Mr.. Beckett
declared that Mr.. Brodrick had deplorably
neglected the greatest opportunity ever
given to q minister, and had produced a
scheme which was not only unsound in
principle. but was serious in practice and
enormously costly.
Major Gay, conservative: Sir Charles
Dixie, advanced radical. and others have
spoken in Pronunciation Of the War office.
He said he welcomed q direct attack ana
defended hGatedly II not very convincinely
the schemes for which he was responsible.
He ridiculed the suggestion that Greet
Britain could depend on it's citizen army.
which he described as a mob Of volln-
teers." and pleaded 10 be given tim TO
carry out his army corps scheme. as the
rpgu1r nj w-Nfrb a4 hr 1890 g. - g.. .a--
in living memory is above its supposed fun
strength in every branch, except the in
~fantry."
Mr.. Broderick made. IT is generally ad-
mitted, a better defense Of his army
scheme than had been expected but what
ever may be the result Of tomorruw's divi-
sion, the debate revealed that the temper
of the country will almost inevitably com
pei The government 10 modify it's plans.
In brief, the nation is not prepared TO
spend $3.50. DOC. 900 annually on the army
against 800, 600. 900. as at present. Mr..
Frederick argued that it would take $3.50
00e. 600 TO get an extra so. 600 men. His op-
ponents reply that there IS no need for
such a large army at the risk Of starving
the navy.
Must Rely on Navy.
Sir Edward Grey put the case pointedly
when be said the country could only af-
ford to give up a certain number Of men
10 the profession Of arms and that the
army end navy must be taken together.
He could not imagine any war on land re-
curing such a large army. Such a war
in America. he continued, was unthinkable.
while a European war would most probably
be decided on the sea. and for home de-
Tense great reliance could be placed on the
volunteers-the moral being that the navy
and not the army was the pillar o. the
empire.
Great interest is taken in the question.
The government organs admit. as did Mr..
Frederick himself, the possibility Of a
modification of the governments plans.