The National Service League held its annual meeting and dinner
on Wednesday. The Report of the Committee showed that the movement in favour of universal training was making remarkable progress. Measured by such standards as the growth of membership, the League might claim to have secured a large degree of success already. It seemed to be universally admitted that if Mr. Haldane's scheme failed, we should be obliged to adopt compulsory military training for home defence. It was satisfactory to note, the Committee added, that the military training of lads was becoming more general every day, not only in secondary schools, but in organisations unconnected with schools. At the annual dinner Lord Milner, in proposing the health of the National Service League, spoke also as to the growth of the League and to the increase of sympathy with which its aims were received. He met with a great many people who said : "Oh, it's no use." He met with comparatively few who said : "The doctrines which you are preaching are wrong." We agree. A good many people are afraid of other people being afraid of the proposals of the League, but very few people seem afraid of them at first hand. That is a situation of good omen.
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