Militarism spreads fast upon the Continent. The Austrian Military Bill
has been little noticed, but it is quite as severe as the German one. The age of conscription is raised from twenty to twenty-one, a grave interference with careers ; and the duration of service is fixed at ten years, three of them in barracks, and seven with the regular reserves. The force actually with the colours is increased by twenty- one thousand men, and the old exemption allowed to men who are the sole support of their familes is abolished, they being drafted into the reserves. The new law is to be passed for ten years, the experts declaring, as in Germany, that it takes that time to include a whole genera- tion of the physically fit. The argument is sound, but its effect is that the Governments are placed in possession of irre- sistible physical force outside the control of the representatives. The latter cannot abolish the ordinary taxes, and though they can refuse loans, they would not do it if war seemed to be imminent. So far as we can perceive, Parliamentary power on the Continent, so far from increasing, tends to decrease ; the danger of invasion developing, as it always has done, practical dictatorship.
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