And I might go on to suggest that the clergy, by preaching compulsory military service, lay themselves open, as avowed supporters of 'law and order,' to a very natural suspicion.
We will suppose that you get your way, and every young Briton is bound, on summons, to mobilise.

We will further suppose a Conservative Government in power, and confronted with a devastating strike--shall we say a railwaymen's strike?
What more easy than to call out one-half of the strikers on service and oblige them, under pain of treason, to coerce the other half?
Do you suppose that this nation will ever forget Hounslow Heath ?" "Let us, then," said Mr.Colt, "leave arguing this question of compulsory National Service until another occasion, when I shall hope to convince you.

For the moment you'll allow it to be every man's duty, as a citizen, to carry arms for his country ?" "Every man's, certainly--if by that you exclude priests." "Why exclude priests ?" "Because a priest, playing at warfare, must needs be mixing up things that differ.

As I see it, Mr.Colt, your Gospel forbids warfare; and if you consent to follow an army, your business is to hold a cross above human strife and point the eyes of the dying upward, to rest on it, thus rebuking men's passions with a vision of life's ultimate peace." "Yet a Bishop of Beauvais (as I read) once thought it not unmeet to charge with a mace at the head of a troop; and our own dear Archbishop Maclagan of York, as everyone knows, was once lieutenant in a cavalry regiment!" "Oh, la, la!" chuckled Brother Copas.

"Be off, then, to your Territorials, Mr.Chaplain! I see Mr.Isidore, yonder, losing his temper with the squad as only an artist can.