The Chronicles of a Gay GordonGordon, J. M. (Joseph Maria)
History
The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon
Gordon, J. M. (Joseph Maria)
Generals -- England -- Biography; Gordon, J. M. (Joseph Maria), 1856-1929
But to return to the consequences of the Press reports. I had called upon
the editors to contradict the statements attributed to me as regarded the
loafing on the cricket ground, but pointed out at the same time that I
had fully meant what I had said with reference to the great waste of time
and the failure on the part of thousands of young men to fit themselves
for the defence of their country, owing to the absence of some form of
legislation which would make it necessary for them to devote some of
their time to the development of their physical and moral welfare. The
Press, as a whole, fully acquitted me of any intentional desire to call
those who had attended the Test Match loafers. They also assured me that
they were in full agreement with my remarks otherwise, and with the end
such remarks had in view, that they fully intended to start a campaign
with a view of bringing about the necessary legislation for universal
service on the lines suggested by me, and would not rest until that
object was achieved. This they accomplished.
As is now well known, by an Act of Parliament in 1909 the principle of
the universal liability for all males from 12 to 25 years of age to be
trained for military service was made law for the first time in any
English-speaking community, and I was more than satisfied that my
personal views which I had held for so many years, ever since in South
Australia, in 1895, I had prepared the first scheme for the approval of
Charles Cameron Kingston, had actually become the law of the land.
Before leaving this subject I must give praise to those officers and
citizens who, taking up the question at issue after the reading of my
lecturette and the events which followed, formed the Defence League of
Australia, and published a paper named _The Call_, which never once
failed in unhesitatingly and most strenuously calling on Parliament, the
citizens, and the Government of Australia to bring about the introduction
of the Universal Service system. Its leading spirit was Colonel Gerald
Campbell, of Moss Vale, a most energetic Volunteer officer.
An amusing incident occurred the night that I was entertained by some of
my friends at the Union Club on taking up the command at Sydney. After
dinner we played bridge. Mr. X, who had not been long married and had got
into the habit of 'phoning home in the evenings that his business kept
him in town, was asked to play at my table. His wife did not relish his
rather constant absences and sternly refused to go to sleep until he
returned home at night. This annoyed him much. Result, some arguments
when he reached home. On the night in question we played till about 3
A.M. "Surely," thought Mr. X as he drove home, "the wife will be asleep
to-night." Very silently he entered his house, undressed, and opened the
door of their bedroom. It was all lighted and his charming partner very
much awake. Tableau!
"Now," she said, "look at the clock--4 A.M. I am full up. You can leave
this room, please."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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