Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-07-15
SAYS ENGLAND IS UNPREPARED
Lord Roberts 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 we'll considered speech he deliber-
ately Expressed his opinion as praci-
teal soldier that the military force of
Great Britain was inadequate, imper-
fectly trained and totally unfit to up
hold Great Britain as a 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 evanesoent enthusiasm which
did not entail self sacrifice and passed
away as soon as the danger disap-
peared.
The speech was delivered in connec-
ton whit a motf5n introduced by the
Earl of Wemyss and March (conserva.
tive) traversing Premier Balfour s
statement regarding the impossibility
of the invasion of Great Britain and
urging the necessity of keeping NJ
sufficient mad 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 thai
the armed forces of Great Britain as {
body were now as absolutely untitled
and unprepared for war as they wer,
when the South African trouble brok,
out.
He declared emphatically that thu
choice lay between CONSUMPTION o,
some practical system of universe
training, and that only by such mean
would it be possible for Great BritaiI
to possess armed forces organized ant
trained to meet the demands of tn
empire in the event of war.
Lord Roberts, continuing, asserted
that any discussion of Great Britain
military position within the limits o
the motion proposed by the Earl o
Wemyss and March would be entirel
unavaiiing. The country had to dea
with question of infinitely great i'm
portance, the question of the life o
death of the empire, the issue of whic
depended upon Great Britain bein
ready to defend her eastern possession
and at the same time take part in an
affair nearer home, either of whic
necessitated the placing in the field G
an army as large and efficient as tina
of any of the European countries, a.
of which might be regarded as nation
) in arms.
Every other European country re
garded its army as part of the natter
while England considered her army
be something quite outside of the maj
ional life and no thought was bestowe
upon it by the civil population excel
as part of political and partisan pla
form. He appealed to the country
awake to its danger and to take hol
+ of the army as a great national issu
on which the existanec of Great Bri
E ain depended. He said the whole len
pire must rise to the occasion and ths
every one must personally bear a shal
in the defense to enable those 10 whoi
responsibility was delegated to becom
in all respects efficient.
= The discussion of the motion cont
ued for some time, the speakers con
5 plimenting Lord Roberts for the stan
a he had taken.
). The government decided not to o.
q pose the motion of the Earl of Weym
t. and March, which was passed with
> division.