CHAPTER VIII

SOME HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS

Bugbears 401 Conflict of 'opinion' with 'the facts' 402 An army is no defence unless it is available for service abroad 402 The Industrial Epoch (1832-1886) 403 Its grudging attitude towards the Army 403 Honour paid by conscript nations to their armies 406 Democracy cannot subsist without personal service 406 During the Industrial Epoch exemption from Personal Service was regarded as the essence of Freedom 408 War was regarded as an anachronism 409 Since 1890 there has been a slow but steady reaction from these ideas 410 Volunteer movement and Territorial Army compared 411 Effect of the Soudan campaign and South African War 411 Effect of more recent events 412 Have we passed out of a normal condition into an abnormal one, or the reverse? 412 Germany's great grievance against Britain: we thought to hold our Empire without sacrifices 413 The Freiherr von Hexenküchen's views-- (1) On our present case of conscience 416 (2) On our voluntary system 416 The American Civil War 417 Lincoln insisted on conscription (1863) 418 His difficulties 418 Results of his firmness 419 Difference in our own case 419 Our need for conscription is much greater 419 It is also far easier for our Government to enforce it 420