The South Staffordshire Examiner. — 1874-07-18 (Wednesbury, West Midlands, England)

ENGLAND'S MILITARY SYSTEM. The proposed Congress at Brussells, however, will have a tendency to aid the cause of peace, by drawing the attention of the working classes to the means to be devised by the representatives of the European aristocracy to alleviate the sufferings of those who will be injured in future wars. Whether the means they will , devise will ever be afforded an opportunity of being practically tested, is a question which the growing intelligence of the people must answer. There are many who contend that the question of the juatke of the people being compelled to maintain a ' large fighting force is of secondary consideration compared with other evils which oppress the working classes of this country, but those who argue thus lay them. selves open to the charge of not having given the subject that attention and consideration which its importance demands. Let them read the histories of the military system of England—from the time when the Norman conqueror, with his unsatiable love of blood and plunder, invaded her shores, murdered her inhabitants, and divided their lands between his followers, on condition that they should place at his command an equivalent in the form of armed vassals—up to the time when the aristocracy, with their characteristic love for confiscation, repudiated the contract, and while saddling the maintenance of the fighting forces on the nation, kept possession of the land—let them read these things and they will not then deny the claims the advocates of peace principles put forth, that these question deserves to be treated as one of paramount importance. On material grounds the injustice of the present military system Is clearly demonstrated, when we consider the efforts which have been made to reduce the taxation of the country, by the formation of Poor-law and Local Government Boards, and by various enactments which have been passed with the intention of curtailing the continual influx into our, workhouses, is it not a paroday on their efforts, that while endeavouring to reduce the pauperism of the country, they should legalise the causes which produce it. .• So long as constitutional England has existed, there has been a jealougy among all classes against the existence of a standing army. Now we have a standing army of large amount, quartered, brigaded, and encamped pormanently in England, and fed by a considerable and constantly inreaslng reserve. It will, in due time, be officered by a class of men eminently scientific, but with no relations necessarily with society, while the militia is withdrawn from all local influences, and placed under the immediate command of the Secretary of War. Thus, in the loth century, see hare a large standing army established in England, contrary to all the traditions of the land." Such are the words of an eminent statesman— the Right Hon. Benjamin Disraeli—when addressing the citizens of Manchester, in April, 1872. And he spoke truly. There is a jealousy among classes, a jealousy among the working class, a feeling of Mulls. nation, that, contrary to all traditions of„the land, contrary to all ideas of civilisation, they should have to maintain a large standing army-500,000 mem Men withdrawn from all the occupations of productive in. dustry, men who might be producing wealth for the country, and whose labour might materially reduce the toil of their fellows, but who, on the contrary, not only consume what they have never assisted in producing, , but who are trained, and their lives devoted to the destruction of the production of others. With such knowledge, and such facts before him, well may the present leader of the Conservative party admit that the existence of a large armed force has the effect of creating jealousy, among all classes. It would be well for the nation; it would be a lasting honour to the present Premier, were he to use the power with which the country has in- , vested him, to the amelioration of the system against which the shove remarks were uttered. He might be sure of the co-operation of the working classes. They have no interest in war, they have no desire for war, and they look upon a standing army, as the greatest curse a country can maintain. But twelve years have elapsed since tbe sentences quoted above were uttered, and to-clay a Tory Premier must be a supporter of that moot cherished and most necessary of Conservative institution—a large military force, ss well as an advocate of a "spirited foreign policy." (To be continued.)