UNIVERSAL SERVICE

From Paris the news has just come that M. Leygue's new cabinet is threatened with disaster. Dissensions on the matter of the new military service law have arisen. M. Lefevre, War Minister, favors a two years service rule, while most of his colleagues think eighteen months sufficient. The War Minister's plans will probably be rejected; he will resign and further changes may follow.

But whatever happens, universal military training is to be continued in France. The French do not yet feel that they can safely dispense with compulsory service. They distrust Germany's intentions of carrying out the terms of the Versailles Treaty; they feel that England has deserted them on the Polish question and has tricked them in the Near East; and they suspect Italy of too much friendliness for the Bolsheviki. Consequently until some general disarmament plan, such as the one proposed in the League convenant shall function, the government dares not discontinue the system of compulsory service,-they system which has cursed Europe and played no small part in making possible the World War.