While there is some opposition in the U.S.
to the proposed conscription Bill, it does not seem as though the Administration will fail to get the measure passed, President Roosevelt is anxious that the necessary legislation shall bè enacted within the next two weeks, for it is clear that equipment is being manufactured for which there are not men. It is a big decision for any peace-loving nation to make, when not at war, to institute a system of compulsory military service, but the perils which the United States face are precisely the same as those which induced the British Parliament to accept the same system last year. The German ce is a real one, as real to the United St as it is to Great Britain, and while it probably will be that the former will never be called upon to defend herself against Hitler, wise statesmanship requires that every precaution shall be taken against any such possibility, Under the present system of voluntary enlistment in the United States it would take a year to bring the regular Army and the National Guard up to full strength, and other twelve months to secure the 400,000 necessary to build up an adequate defence organization. If the United States are ever to be menaced by Hitler it will be much sooner than the two years which the voluntary system would need to build up adequate forces. The only answer to the problem, therefore, is conscription, and President Roosevelt is asking to accept the bitter fact with the best grace it can. The chances are that it will sE do so, but there is reason to expect that there will be much heated debating before U.S. legislators will consent to a change in those liberties which Americans so devotedly cherish.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.