The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-21

soldiers would be only between 16 and + years of age. Dr. Evans idea is that al boys between Ii and 1T, should be compelled to go through systematic military training. After attaining their 16th year, with two years spent learning the duties of soldier, he believes they would be found a good fighting units as any nation possesses. According to his proposal which has been forwarded to the war office, when the boys reach the age of r there would be break of IS months in their military service to allow of their so,tling down to trades and pro
 fessions: after which they would, in the
 miodle of the 18th year join the reserve, and remain with it until they completed
 their 42d year.
 Fully matured. the doctor calculates
 that this would give a force of 7S5.000 al-
 ways under arms. and a reserve force of
 5.0Cn000 men between the ages of IT and f, The total annual cost of this plan,
 after deducting great expenditure for
 the territorial force (which, of course,
 would disappear), is estimated at SIP
 5Ct.00G How would Americans like a
 scheme of this sort? John Bull does not Ike it, although John Bulls son would
 lot be averse to wearing the red or
 Tommy Atkins. There is absolutely no likelihood of the Herne Bay proposition
 ever being adopted by Parliament-in our
 time, at any rate.
 X few days ago I paid a visit to the
 Royal aeroplane factory. It is located
 close by Farmsborough station on the
 London and Southwestern railroad Ine
 buildings are equipped with everything
 that could be desired for the making ana testing of aeroplanes. dirigibles and bal
 looms. There is whirling table of 15o feet radius for testing propellors up to so miles an hour Adjoining the factory IS flying ground on which completed aeroplanes are tested in the air by air. men who devote themselves absolutely to this particular duty. While the object or tn, factory is primarily the higher traln- ing of mechanics for the royal flying rurce fsoon to come> into existence) as well as the manufacture in England is benefiting by practical experimental work on a scale which no private capital in England would attempt. The results ob- .ained are available to the British manu- l fecturer Now that we are getting an army aero corps in the United States It might be no harm for Secretary Stimson | and General Wood to send over here and 1 sec what the English are doing to get the best results obtainable for the royal l flying corps.
 l Unwept. unsung. two political parties turned up their toes in London the other morning. The conservative party is dead the liberal unionist party, which was | formed by the late Duke of Devonshire and MT. Chamberlain, when the split with 1 Gladstone on the home rule issue in | 1SsG is also down among the daisies. The formation of the National Unionist asso- citation admits something which every | body knew before; viz: that the present 1 opposition is in state of turbulent transi- tion. The situation is not unlike that l which occurred about the time when the | great reform bill was carried. and, as then, the greatest fear is coming not from among those who clamored most Insistent- ly for the measure which shivered the political timbers, but from an entire,
 different element. If ever Mr. Honag law