cy, that
in America and in England, where most has been conceded to the
majority, there is least inclination on their part to accept the
necessary personal burden of keeping themselves fit, not necessarily
for war, but for peace, by accepting universal and compulsory
training. The only fair law would be one demanding that no one should
be admitted to look on at a game of cricket, foot-ball, or base-ball
who could not pass a mild examination in these games, or give proof of
an equivalent training. That would be honorable democracy in the realm
of sport.

There formerly existed in Bavaria a supplementary tax on estates left
by persons who had not served in the active army. It was done away
with at the formation of the empire. There is a proposal now to vote
such an additional tax for all Germany, and a very fair tax it would
be.

I am not discussing here the question of compulsory service in
England. It is not difficult to see that part of England's army must
of necessity be a professional army, which can be sent here and there
and everywhere, and that conscription would not answer the purpose,
for compulsory conscription could hardly demand of its recruits that
they should serve in India, in Canada, or in Bermuda or Egypt, for the
length of time necessary to make their service of value. Conscription,
too, on a scale to make an army serviceable against the trained troops
of the Continent is out of the question. Therefore, so far as
compulsory service for military duty only is concerned, I see no hope
for it in England. But in a land of free men such as is, or used to
be, England, and in America, compulsory service ought to be undertaken
with pride and with pleasure, as a moral, not as a military, duty for
the salvation of the country from internal foes, and as a nucleus
around which could rally the nation as a whole in case of attack from
external foes. Patriotism among us has come to a pretty pass indeed
when the nation is divided into two classes: those growling against
the taxation of their surplus; and those with their tongues hanging
out in anticipation of, and their hands clutching for, unearned doles.
And now, the more shame to us, must be added a third class who use
public office for private profit. What if we all turned to and gave
something without being forced to do so? Where would the "Yellow
peril" and the "German menace" be then? We should have much less
exciting and inciting talk and writing if our nerve