§ LORD O'HAGAN rose to call attention to the delay in the issue of the revised Cadet Regulations; and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords. I raise this subject because of the adverse effect that delay has had, and is having at the present time, on that useful and patriotic body the Cadet Force. I will not 201 detain your Lordships by enlarging upon the invaluable nature of the training in discipline, self-respect and patriotism which the Cadet movement affords. It comes in at a very important period of a boy's life, that of adolescence, when it is all-important to his usefulness as a citizen that he should be surrounded with the best influences. I venture to think that, in this regard, the Cadet training is an asset to the State. Nor would I do more than allude briefly in passing to the valuable services which were rendered by the Cadet Force during the war, more especially at the beginning of the war when it provided so many recruits who were already partly trained. Their record in this respect, if it were ever written, would, I think, fully justify the existence of this force before the war. I was always under the impression that when the noble and learned Viscount the Lord Chancellor was reforming the Territorial Force he had in mind the organisation of the Cadets as an adjunct to that Force, but, however that may be. I am sure that the noble and learned Viscount, with his profound interest in education, at any rate appreciates the value of the Cadet Force in this country.
§ The County Territorial Associations are, of course, concerned in this matter, and the Essex Territorial Force Association, which is behind me in this matter, has always taken the keenest and most Active interest in the Cadets, more especially since the war, and I, as Chairman of the Committee of that Association, which has to deal with over 3,000 Cadets and some 32 units, naturally am brought into contact with the requirements and the needs of that organisation. If I may mention one example of the, interest which the Essex Association takes in the matter of Cadets, I would remind your Lordships of that rather remarkable visit of some thousand Cadets last year to the battlefields of France. These Cadets were obtained from all parts of the country. The visit was initiated and organised by General R B. Colvin, Chairman of the Association, and Lieut.-Colonel Brad-bridge, the Secretary, and it was in every respect an unqualified success. It may he of interest to your Lordships to know that within the last few days the French War Office has extended an invitation to General Colvin, in the hope that another visit from the Cadets of this country will take place to the battlefields in France.
202§ The revised Regulations with which my Motion deals have been under consideration for a considerable time. Last November an Army Council Instruction was issued which bore the date October 3. In that document the general conditions under which the Cadet Force was to be organised were laid down, and it was promised that new Regulations would be issued at as early a date as possible. Some six months have passed since then. In those instructions units who do not wish to remain under the conditions laid down in broad terms were instructed to apply for their withdrawal before March 31 of this year. To-day is April 9 and the units have had no details with regard to those Regulations on account of the non-issue of the Regulations as a whole. At this moment—and this is the time of the year at which the different corps have to make their arrangements for camps and have to enter into contracts—owing to the non-issue of these revised Regulations, they do not know the conditions under which the camp equipment is to be issued. This constitutes a very real hardship. Further than that, the general uncertainty which exists with regard to these Regulations has been a source of considerable discouragement to those who are concerned with the organisation of these units, and this, of course, reacts un-favourably on the units themselves, especially on those units which are established, or are sought to be established, in those poorer districts where the Cadet unit can be of such incalculable value. I would, therefore, ask the noble Lord who is to reply to me to let us know when these Regulations really will be published. In view of the adverse effect that their non-publication has had, and of the uncertainty to which I have alluded, may I press that there should be no further delay in this matter? I beg to move.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD THOMSON)My Lords, the question raised by the noble Lord has engaged the attention of the War Office for some time. As your Lordships no doubt are aware, the original practice was for the War Office to give money grants to the Cadet organisation, but then there came the Geddes cuts, and with those cuts, and as an outcome of them, money grants to Cadet organisations ceased. I think everybody is aware of the educational and national value of the organisation and units, but at the same time one has to face 203 the fact that the units are not of very great military value, and the consequence is that it is impossible to justify military expenditure on these organisations. The War Office have now framed proposals under which Cadet units of military value will be helped indirectly on the lines followed last year, but it has to be faced that a money grant is still impossible on account of the financial stringency. I think that answers the question of the noble Lord.
With regard to the uncertainty which prevails in the minds of those who organise Cadet camps and similar things, I would point out that similar indirect assistance will be given to that which was given last year. Delays have occurred in publishing revised Cadet Regulations, but this has been largely due to the objections raised by certain Cadet organisations on various grounds. I believe some organisations object to too close an association between Cadets and Territorial soldiers as being militarist or something of that kind. Negotiations between the War Office and these organisations are now in progress and proceeding satisfactorily. It is hoped that before long it will be possible to issue revised Regulations. In fact, these Regulations are already drawn up, and they only await for final completion the settlement of one or two more or less minor points which are still in dispute with the organisations to which I have referred. In view of these considerations I am unwilling to go into a detailed statement. It seems to me that it would be rather premature. Recognition of these units by the War Office is envisaged on the basis of the points which are under discussion, and there is every reason to believe that before long a satisfactory arrangement will be reached.
§ THE EARL OF DARTMOUTHMy Lords, before your Lordships leave this subject I should like to say a word or two, as the Council of the Territorial Associations has had this matter in hand. I entirely endorse what the noble Lord, Lord O'Hagan, has said about the value of the body itself, the value of the training and the fact that it is a national asset to the country. I should also like, from my own experience, to bear testimony to the very valuable services that General Colvin rendered by organising the visit to France last year. It is satis 204 factory to know that, this year, it is hoped to be able to send two parties to the battlefields, and I have already been in communication with the First Lord of the Admiralty as to the possibility of their being conveyed by one of His Majesty's ships.
With regard to the general points the noble Lord has raised, I wish to endorse what the noble Lord has said, in reply, as to the causes of the delay. When a discontinuance of the grant was first made known it excited those interested in Cadet corps very much, but on reconsideration it was felt that a very generous offer was made by the War Office in order to help these Cadet units in their training. We had a conference with the War Office, and those who represented the Cadets were entirely satisfied with the proposals that were made. I understand that when the Regulations are agreed upon the Cadet corps will be administered by the Territorial Council. We appointed a Committee last July to consider the Regulations and, in fact, our proposals were in the hands of the War Office as far back as September of last year.
But, in addition to the arrangements we had to make with the War Office, we had also to consult the various bodies concerned. There are the Boys' Brigade, the Church Lads' Brigade, the London Division of the Church Lads' Brigade, the Jewish Lads' Brigade and the Catholic Cadets, all of which have their own views. They all have a good deal of sentiment, and sentiment, after all, is in itself a considerable asset and ought not to be too much discouraged. But behind it all, there was a desire on the part of some of them to get a little bit more than the conditions prescribed. We realised, however, that as the War Office is finding the money they are perfectly entitled to say what conditions shall be laid down to which the various Cadet units must conform. There was undoubtedly, in many cases, an objection to affiliation with the Territorial Association unit. That was sentiment, but now that these particular points are in process of being settled I think we are nearly at the end of our troubles. It is obvious that a reorganisation of this kind, where so many interests are involved, must take some time to arrange, and it is far better that we 205 should lay our foundations on a satisfactory basis even if that involves a certain amount of delay. I tan assure my noble friend that the Territorial Council are entirely in agreement with the general views he has expressed, and we shall do all we can to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.
§ LORD THOMSONI am afraid that is impossible at the moment. All I can say is that the Report will be published as soon as possible.
LORD O'HAGANMy Lords, may I say one word with regard to what the noble Lord said about the military value of Cadet corps? Many of us appreciate, and the public generally appreciates, the educative value of this force. At the same time, speaking as an ex-Territorial officer, I know from the Territorial Army point of view, that a certain amount of value is attached to the proposal of linking all these Cadet units with the Territorial units. In that way the War Office is wise not to ignore the claims of these units, at any rate so far as the Territorial Army is concerned. I am glad to hear, and I am sure the Territorial Associations will be glad to know definitely, that the facilities for training and camp equipment will be the same as last year. I suppose that will also apply to railway facilities, such as they were. I do not wish to press the Motion. I am much obliged to the noble Lord for what he has said. Under the œgis of the noble Earl, who is on the Council of the Territorial Associations, the interest of Cadet corps will not, I am sure, be lost sight of.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.