The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1905-07-14
SAYS ENGLAND IS UNPREPARED
Lord Roberts Delivered Hot Speech
on Their Military Protection.

|
London.-Field Marshal Lord Rob
erts created q sensation in the house Of
lords Monday evening when in lengthy
and well considered speech he deliber-
ately Expressed his opinion az q praci-
teal soldier that the military force Of
Great Britain was inadequate, imper-
fectly trained and totally unfit to mp
hold Great Britain a. q first class
power.
Lord Roberts did not blame the gov
ernments 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 % soon as the danger disap-
peared.
The speech was delivered in connec.
ton whit motion 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 MP
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 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 1t DO 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
unavailing. The country had to deal
with question Of infinitely great inn
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 ut the same time take part in any
affair nearer home, either Of which
necessitated the placing in the field of
an army a. large and efficient Is that
OF any OF the European countries, all
OF which might be regarded As nations
in arms. 8
Every other European country re-
garded its army as part Of the nation.
while England considered her 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 q 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-.
pire must rise to the occasion and that
every one must personally bear share
In the defense to enable those to whom
responsibility was delegated to become
III all respects efficient.
The discussion of the motion contin
ned for some time. the speakers com.
plimenting Lord Roberts for the stand
be had taken. M
The government decided not TO op-
pose the motion of the Earl Of Weymss
and March, which was passed with a
division.