IN BRITAIN. MORE MEN NEEDED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3561, 22 September 1916, Page 6

IN BRITAIN. MORE MEN NEEDED.

COMB-OUT THE EXEMPTEDS

("The Times" Service.)

LONDON, September 20

•Colonel Kepington, the military critic of "Tho Times," says that .tho end of October will bring .slackened activity, which will not recur on a grand scale till tho spring of 1917. "We must look ahead and settle tho ■question of the reserves which will bo iivailabi:' for the spring operations. We must net entertain illusions. Tho German man-power, despite her losses and defeats, is still largo. Her reserves include the uncalled-up classes of 15)17-18. and other large accessions :ire available. She, will call up all the men between the ages of 16 and 60 before admitting defeat, hoping to .wear us down. The Allies must place in the field every available able-bodied I.man. We have not yet sufficient men 'for forcing a fW'isive decision with its attendant sinnihiiation. The 5,000,0* ! men of military age available in Great Britain were sufficient to maintain 100 divisions in 'tho field if the exemptions v/hich were granted had not.seriously | encroached on tho supply; We must drastically reform the Military Service Act or Germany will best us. By organising her man-nower, Ireland will he able to give 150,000 men, but commilsion will be necessity to maintain the Irish divisions. Pritain has no need to rnise the age limit until the younger classes are exhausted. There are V^l! 3.000,000 o'- 4 000.000 exempted men secured in civil occupations. About 1.G00.000 men of military -:VKO :<re wennng h«d.gos. If we are forced to r'fiU w Ibn ol;Vv men we must nsR H'?m for homo defence, tluis -oli^vJ->rr the younger men for the front."