The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-11
A GREAT ARMY FOR BRITAIN
Premier Admitted Russia Was Men
acing the Indian Frontier.
COMMONS UPHELD GOVERNMENT

BsiSour. In Impassionsd spveots Threat
snsd 70 RssIga II HIS Pslisy Wa Nss
~sapportsd - winaton chnrehiis De.
nuseistion - Cheers For Ksfsssnss -
Unatsd States - Significance Of Debate
London.--It was decided In the House
Of Commons that Great Britain must
maintain q great army. The decisive
vote was not taken until after Premier
Balfour. In an impassIoned speech,
practically had admitted that Russh
was menacing Britain's Indian fron-
tier. and had threatened to resign X
the program Of the Government were
not Endorsed.
When the debate on Mr. Beckettt
proposed amendment to the address Ia
reply to the Kings speech at the open
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. ouiy been reallzed I'm
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 "huins
bug and q sham. and was only intro.
duced with the object Of militarizlng
England" He asked where the Gov :
ernnent expected the three army corps /
intended for foreign service 10 operate. [
II was not In South Africa, aud such
q force was o needed on the Indian
frontier. and they certainly could not
contemplate the three army corps. op-
Grating in Canada. for the United
States was mo more prepared TO ind
wade Canada than Great Britain wasy
prepared to invade the United States"
Mr.. Churchill added. amid cheers:
And long may that saiutary neglect
continue"
In the course Of the debate the LIB
eral leader. Mr.. Asquith, expressed the
general feeling when he remarked that
the debate was OF greater Significance
than the division on IL. and would De-
remembered long after the six army
CORDS had vanished into thin air.
Premier Balfour. In closing the de-,
bate for the Government. compliment.
ed Mr.. Asquith on going to the heart
Of the question. namely-whether th3
army was too large and costly for the
empires needs. OF course. he said,
the feet stood first. but there were
limits to the uses Of a feet. It w9s Inn
possible to bring q war to an end with
q feet, which could not even strike q
heavy blow ut most enemies. with
which Great Britain might be engaged,
without a strong attacking force of foi-
diers. and It would be folly to deprive
the country Of q means Of offensive &C.
don In the event Of an emergency.
Mr. BaIfour contended 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 ana
Russia as In the highest degree i'm
probable. but II was impossible to for.
get that the Indian frontier was tho
key Of Great Britain's military poSitionf
in the event Of such a war. and With
out being an aiarmist he wished to I'M
press upon them that events moved
rapidly In Central Asia.
we uau " CunStuCAs SohshoSN s4S
Premier. "how far the, strategical posi-
ton OF Russia improved year by year.
The Indian frontier Ia the only part Of
the empire adjacent 10 o first-class mil.
itary power, and In the improbable and
unhappy event Of q war with Russia
We should require not only all the
available forces In india. but ali the
forces that Mr.. BrodrIck's scheme
places at the disposal Of the Crown
Mr.. Balfour asserted that the Coy.
eminent deserved well Of the country.
The Government did not trim its sails
TO popular favor. and if the House de-
sired an army on u scale that the Gov
eminent thought inadequate the House
must look to another government.
The House finally rejected, By 2S1
votes to 145. Mr. Beckett's amendment
to the address, the terms Of which were
tantamount to q cersure on War Sec.
retary Brodrick.
The division revealed fewer defec.
tons In the Unionist ranks than had
been expected. only about q dozen
Unionists voting AGAINST the Govern
ment. while the Nationallsts ~abstained,
walking ont In q body when the diyis.
TON vvoa CALLED F..