Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-07-15
SAYS ENGLAND Is UNPREPARED
Lord Roberts Delivered Hot Speech
on Their Military Protection.

LORD HobertS delivered hot speech
on Their Military Protection.
London. Field Marshal Lord Rob-
erts created a sensation in the house of
lords Monday evening when in lengthy
and well considered speech he deliber-
ately expressed his opinion as a praci-
teal soldier that the military force of
Great Britain was inadequate, imper-
fectly trained and totally unfit to up
hold Great Britain as first class
power.
Lord Roberts did not blame the gov
eminent, which, he said, was actuated
by national feeling, but he scathingly
attacked the people of England, who,
he said, showed no antional feeling to-
ward the military until danger arose.
Then, said Lord Roberts, the soldier
was the pet of the people, but this was
only an evanescent enthusiasm which
did not entail self sacrifice and passed
away as soon as the danger disap-
peared.
The speech was delivered in connec-
tiou whit motion introduced by the
Earl of Wemyss and March (conserva-
tive) traversing Premier Balfour's
statement regarding the impossiblity
of the invasion of Great Britain and
urging the necessity of keeping up
sufficient lnad forces to repel any poss-
ible invasion.
Lord Roberts said the lessons of the
South African war had been forgotten.
He had no hesitation in saying that
the armed forces of Great Britain as a
body were now as absolutely untitled
and unprepared for war as they were
when the South African trouble broke
out
He declared emphatically that the
choice lay between CONSUMPTION or
some practical system of universal
training, and that only by such means
would it be possible for Great Britain
to possess armed forces organized and
trained to meet the demands of the
empire in the event of war.
Lord Roberts, continuing, asserted
that any discussion of Great Britain's
military position within the limits of
the motion proposed by the Earl of
Wemyss and March would be entirely
unavalling. The country had to deal
with question of infinitely great i'm
portanCe, the question of the life or
death of the empire, the issue of which
depended upon Great Britain being
ready to defend her eastern possessions
and at the Same time take part i'll any
affair nearer home, either of which
necessitated the placing in the field of
an army as large and efficient as that
of any Of the European countries, all
Of which might be regarded as nations
in arms.
Every other European country re-
garded its army as part of the nation,
while England considerediher army to
be something quite outside of the nat
ional life and no thought was bestowed
upon it by the civil population except
as part of a political and partisan plat
form. He appealed to the country to
awake to its danger and to take hold
of the army as great national issue
on which the existanec of Great Brit
ain depended. He said the whole en-
plre must rise to the occasion and that
every one must personally bear a share
in the defense to enable those to whom
responsibility was delegated to become
in all respects efficient.
The discussion of the motion contin
ued for some time, the speakers COM
plimenting Lord Roberts for the stand
he had taken.
The government decided not to OPP
pose the motion of the Earl of Weymss
and March, which was passed with a
division.