The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-12
PROPOSE FORMING
 A HOME DEFENSE
Would Include Every Able Bodied Man in Britain
IN TIME OF NAPOLEON
Such a Body Was Formed Then. Church Wardens Had Charge of Raising Men-Might Prevent
 Brutal Treatment
Hr PHILLIP EVERETT

London, October 10-(Special.) l.)-Several writers are proposing that every able bodied citizen in Great Britain be en- rolled in a home defense force like the German landsturm. This would prove a valuable move in case of an invasion. It was system in vogue at the time of the Napoleonic wars. It might prevent brutal treatment of civilians under the gtiise of punishment of ''sniping."
 The fear of invasion was probably more lively in the day safter the capture of the peace of Aniens than it is today. There was plan to resist invasion drawn up The King and the government were to retire behind the line of the Severn. The people of the country districts made preparations to follow them, leaving the able-bodied men to fight and the country a waste.
 The idea did not then prevail that no man must strike blow in defense of his home unless he were a member of the regular armed forces of the empire.
 The levee en masse was-and is-an in strument which the crown could invoke constitutionally for defense. IT King George. cared to proclaim the levee en masse today, every man who took arms would have the legal status of soldier. But whether this would affect the atti- tude of German commanders is a ques- ton.
 In the brave days of 1sOs-5 the carrying out of the arrangements for resistance seems to have been intrusted to the church wardens.
 First, a list of those capable of bearing arms was made out, and ablebodied men of 50 and older were included in it. These were tc join the county regiments of "fensibles" militia, or whatever they hap pened to be.
 Next, the older men and some of the less able-bodied were told eff to act as teamsters, wagoners, and drovers, to con- vey the women, children, and infirm, with such stores of grain and forage .as could be carried off, and to drive the flocks and herds. The horses and wag- ons were all numbered, and the families which were to travel by each were told off
 Other men were designated to destroy all the produce of the country which could not be moved. Nothing whatever which could be useful to the enemy was to be left.
 Many now express their deep concern that organization of the civil population for war in some such manner has never been undertaken. Retreat behind the Severn would, perhaps, not be necessary. There is line of concentration for the territorial force. Behind that the women and children would be safe, and in front of it the country should be cleared. But the thing requires to be planned in or der that, should the enemy appear, the roads required for moving troops shall not be obstructed by flying civilian population.
 The first advantage of such action by a local authority Is that they would get a complete roll of the male inhabitants of tleir district for every purpose, and could tell off those who, by age and lnfirmity, are unable to fight for nonmilitary duty. The able-bodied men up to 55 years of age should be given the right to bear arms in defense of their homes; but they should receive much training and organization as Is possible, and should be definitely enrolled in the armed forces of the crown. It seems to have been generally forgotten that, in Germany, there is the Ersatz reserve, men, who have received no military training previous to the war, and that these can be called up and en- listed in the landsturm.