Why National Service could solve many of our problems

I COULD never entirely agree with the politics of David Blunkett but I have to say I agree with his article (Yorkshire Post. September 3) entitled “Volunteer force for young will help mend society”.

I am now in my 70s, and as one of the many National Servicemen who were called up in the in the 40s and 50s at the age of 18 or a little older to serve our country, I feel sure that I am not on my own when I say, that at the time, I did not enjoy the two years I spent in the Army.

Now, looking back, I can say that it did me a great deal of good. Those two years of discipline and the daily routine of Army life helped to form my character and my future life.

On page six of the same issue, reference is made to defence cuts and the fears from some quarters that this could be a mistake.

Some high ranking generals accord to this view and ask what would happen if another military emergency was to arise.

This self-same problem faced the politicians at the end of World War Two when our forces were returning home to be demobilized. They feared the prospects of the Cold War and other possible crises arising. Their answer was National Service followed by the TA or AER.

Over the period that National Service operated, which I believe was about 10 years, we had a ready trained Army on standby in case of an emergency and National Servicemen and Territorials served with great merit in Korea and Malaya and other zones where our military involvement was called for.

Could National Service or something very similar solve two problems?

National Service in my opinion would give those 18-25 year louts who were involved in the shameful riots a short sharp lesson.

It would teach them respect for other people and teach them the values to which Mr Blunkett refers in his article, and which appear to have got lost and have now faded from our communities.

At the same time, for the many of them who are unemployed they could learn a skill or trade. Yes, on this occasion I agree with Mr Blunkett.

From: Bernard Robinson, Midland Terrace, Hellifield, Nr Skipton.

I HAVE travelled quite a lot of miles on the roads over the past week. I have been most alarmed at the amount of ragwort on the road and railway sides.

A lot of it is hanging over the walls and the fences so when the seeds drop it will affect the land where stock graze.

Before the bug huggers start, there is plenty of groundsel for the so-called rare moth to feed on without preserving this poison weed.

If the councils do not have the staff to pull it up, why can they not recruit gangs from people on the unemployment register?

Make them earn their keep. It would exercise mind and body and stop them getting bored.

One other thing the self- appointed experts cannot tell me, is it safe to eat honey from bees which have been feeding on ragwort?