The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-23
THE MUTINY.

fIdDClS -hcSUlldcli, tnc uotSo ""i
correspondent, sees in the resignation
of English army officers who refuse
to fight against the Ulsterites the best
thing that has happened to the British
army for century. 1t eliminates the
aristocratic officers who have been one
of the vital weaknesses of England s
military organization,
Younger sons without chance TO in
herit titles have gone in for the army
the navy and the church. Even law
and medicine have been avoided as
smacking too much of trade. While a
change has come over the English of
aristocratic mold in the last generation
because necessity has forced many OF
them into trade, yet the army and navy
still possess the greatest allurement
for the young men of the upper classes.
The arjstocratic officers have long
been regarded as the bane Of the army.
it is not likely that they lack either
in bravery or in talent. The explana-
tion of their incompetency perhaps
lies In the fact that they are not fitted
by nature to regard any vocation as
serious occupation requiring lifelong
study. For most of them the army is
a continuous lark.
officers the English army will reflect
the growing democracy Of the nation.
Up to the present time the officers
have been in sympathy with all the
Tory ideals, and in this crisis these
ideals are leading the officers to prove
disloyal to their country. They will
argue. of course, that they are showing
higher loyalty, a devotion to princl-
pies, and will contend that their princi-
Piles should be the principles of the gov
crnment. They probably look upon the
crisis as civil war, and see themselves
acting like the officers of the American
army who resigned their commissions tc
Join the south in the war of the states
Ii is quite a different sentiment from
that which Tennyson put into the hearts
of the heroes Of the Crimean war
"Theirs not to reason why; theirs but tC
do and die -
The majority of the nation, however
will not mourn the retirement of Tho
aristoeratic officers, They will regard
it as Fgood riddance of bad rubbish ,
IL will make the army more efficient
Chancellor Lloyd-George stated tn,
situation with exactness when he de
scribed the present fight as a confIic
between representative government ant
Toryism. IT is merely the continue
ton Of conflict that has existed il
England since the days before Magn;
Charta. The Liberal party has beer
made up largely of men who have beer
dlssenters, both in politics and religion
1t was natural that they should becom
the advocates and the champions O
democratic government. 1t was newt
able, moreover. that they should coalesc
with the Irish National party which ha
been battling for the same objects
This has thrown the men of Ulster int
the Tory camp, and doubtless tbel
present campaign is being financed from
Tory sources. The Tories understand
the situation clearly. They know tina
this is their last battle for the remnan
Of their ancient prerogatiyes and specia
privileges. In such a crisis they ar
willing to support any movement wbic1
promises TO cmbarrass and handica
their Liberal foes. The Ulster revolu
tion offers the most conspicuous oppor
tunity to block the way Of reform. L
would not be surprising If it sboul
trauspire that the Tories have <bee
financing the militant suffragettes.
The developments that lie Just ahea
in England will form one Of the mos
fascinating chapters in, her histor,
Whatever the result England will com
out Of the conflict transformed ma
ton.