Khaki in the Classroom: Compulsory Junior Cadet Training in Australian Schools, 1911-31 (Report‪)‬

The passing of the Defence Act (1909), with its provisions for universal military training, was a profound development for Australia. With bi-partisan support the government exacted compulsory peacetime conscription for all 12-25 year old males in the context of a voluntary defence system considered inadequate in a decade of growing security concerns. It was the first modern English-speaking country in the world to do so. For five years prior to 1909 growing fear for the safety of 'White Australia', coupled with the erosion of British naval supremacy, had forced defence issues into the public domain. Japan's victory over Russia in 1905, followed by a much publicised Anglo-German naval race from 1906, a series of international crises, and the visit of the American Fleet, clearly illustrated the power of a modern military to the Australian public. In particular, the revelation by the Melbourne Age by March 1909 that Germany would have more battleships than England by 1912 precipitated real and widespread defence concern. Despite a general consensus in principle, however, significant political manoeuvring surrounded the drafting, debating and introduction of the new Act. The Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin, was attacked by the leader of the opposition, G.H. Reid, who favoured compulsory training for youths only and, as a result, the amended Defence Act of 1908 was not passed before the Deakin government was defeated in November. A second draft Act, drawn up by the new Fisher government in May 1909, proposed compulsory membership in the 'Junior Cadets' for ten to twelve year old boys and in the 'Senior Cadets' for fourteen to eighteen year olds, although it too could not be introduced before Andrew Fisher's electoral defeat in June 1909. A final draft, prepared by the new Deakin (Fusion) government detailing obligatory cadet training for boys aged twelve to eighteen, was submitted to parliament in September, and accepted in December 1909. Like Fisher's earlier plan, Section 62 of Deakin's Act required all twelve to fourteen year old boys to become Junior Cadets and all fourteen to eighteen year olds to serve in the Senior Cadets. This was to be followed, by men aged eighteen to twenty-five, by compulsory membership in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). (1)