grown at each election until it now represents some 35 per cent, of
the total electorate. The great weapon with which reaction has attempted
to combat Socialist growth has been an appeal against the 'unpatriotic'
opposition to armaments. What effect would this appeal have in face of
disarmament abroad? The Socialist party, with its anti-militarist
programme, would sweep Germany and compel the Government rapidly to
follow suit. Sooner or later the internal pressure of public opinion
would force the adoption of a similar policy upon the Government of
every civilized country in Europe."--_From "Why Britain Should Disarm"
by George Benson (National Labour Press, 1d.)_.

* * * * *

THE PRINCIPLE OF NATIONALITY.

"Now the war has come, and when it is over let us be careful not to make
the same mistake or the same sort of mistake as Germany made when she
had France prostrate at her feet in 1870. (Cheers.) Let us, whatever we
do, fight for and work towards great and sound principles for the
European system. And the first of those principles which we should keep
before us is the principle of nationality--that is to say, not the
conquest or subjugation of any great community or of any strong race of
men, but the setting free of those races which have been subjugated and
conquered; and if doubt arises about disputed areas of country we should
try to settle their ultimate destination in the reconstruction of Europe
which must follow from this war with a fair regard to the wishes and
feelings of the people who live in them."--_From the speech of Mr.
Churchill, September_ 11, 1914, at the London Opera House.

* * * * *

CONSCRIPTION.

"If we, in a moment of unthinking panic, adopt the advice of our
militarists and develop an Army based on universal service, we shall
prepare for ourselves the very situation in which Germany finds itself
at this moment. However much we may protest that our aims are pacific,
and that our Army is intended only for defensive purposes, foreign
nations will view it with alarm, and will reflect that, by the help of
our Navy, we can land an armed force in any country that has a sea
coast. We shall thus incur the risk of a coalition against us. It is
said that if we had had a conscript Army, the present war would not have
taken place. But it is not realized that a different and far more
dangerous war would have been probable, a war in whi