The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-24
Sir Edward Grey Makes Strong
Statement in the House of
Commons.
OPPOSED TO ARMY INCREASE.
British Nation Is Not Prepared to
Spend Additional Money on
Land Force at Expense
OF the Navy.

London. Feb. 23.-The criticism Of the
British War Office eliminated in the House
of Commons to-day in a motion for a vote
of censure against War Secretary Brod-
rick.
TIL motion was in the shape of an amend
ment to the address in reply to the speech
from the throne. regretting the fact that
the Organization Of the army was not
suited to the needs of the Empire. and that
no proportionate gain in strength or eff
cheney had resulted from the recent increase
of military expenditure"
The motion was identical with an amend
ment moved by Sir Henry Campbell-Ban-
herman. the Liberal leader. when Mr.. Brod-
rick introduced his army reform scheme in
1901.
To-day. however. the vote of censure was
proposed by Mr.. Beckett. an influential Con-
sefvative, who was supported by a consid-
In introducing the motion Mr.. Beckett
declared that Mr.. Brodrick had deplorably
neglected the greatest opportunity ever
which was not only unsound in principle,
but was ruinous in practice and enormously
costly.
Major seely CONSERVATIVE, Sir Charles
Dixie advanced RadicaD and others have
spoken in denunciation of the War Office,
declaring the country was tired of its pol
p ply Of mess and middle" Mr. sr0dri'k re-
He said he welcomed n direct attack and
defended heatedly, if not very convincingly,
the schemes for which he was responsible.
He ridiculed the suggestion that Great
Britain could depend on her citizen army,
which he described as a mob of volun-
teers.'. and pleaded to be given time TO
carry out his army-corps scheme. as the
result of which the army for the first
time In living memory is above its supposed
full! strength in every branch except the
infantry"
Mr.. Brodrick made. It is generally admit
ted, a better defense of his army scheme
than had been expected. but whatever may
be the result of to-morrow's division on the
motion, the debate revealed that the tenn
per of the country will almost inevitably
compel the Government to modify its plans.
In brief, the nation Is not prepared to
spend $50. 900. 900 annually on the army. as
against the sl0,oc0,c coo hitherto spent on that
service.
Mr.. Broderick argued for the additional
$50. 600 to get an extra 60.oSO men.
His opponents reply that there Is no reed
for such a large army at the risk of starry
ing the navy.
Sir Edward Grey put the case pointedly
when he said that the country could only
afford to give up a certain number of men
to the profession of arms. and that the
army and navy must be taken together.
80 He could not imagine any war on land re-
curing such a large army. Such a war in
America, he continued. was unthinkable,
While any European war would most prob
ably be decided on the sea, and for home
defense great reliance could be placed on
the volunteers. the moral being that the
army. and not the navy, was the pillar Of
the Empire.
Great interest is taken in the question.
The Government organs admit, as'did Mr..
Frederick himself. the possibility of a modi-
fcation Of the Governments plans.