THE CALL TO MARRIED MEN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2470, 25 May 1915, Page 4

THE CALL TO MARRIED MEN

Foil the first time since the beginning of the war an appeal is made in our news columns this morning for married men to join the Expeditionary Force. Despite the steady How of rccruits, the-need for men is so urgent- that Mr. Au.en has felt constrained to ask those married men who possibly can go to consider their position. It is in the last degree undesirable that the married ' men—except those in independent circumstances.—should be called to the colours until the supply of single men without ties is depleted. The Minister of Defence recognises this, but if the single men do not conic forward appeal must be made to the married. Tlie census taken four years ago showed that the Dominion possessed 110,000 unmarried men of military age, and 78,000 married men between the same ages. Thero are at present under arms approximately 21,000 men. These figures have only to be set down to make it apparent that the number of single men remaining should be amnle y for requirements for a considerable time lo come. It is inconceivable that there are so many shirkers as seems 10 be suggested by these figures. Possibly the military tests are too stringent, or it may be that employers arc not doing their share to encburagc recruiting In this latter respect we have heard complaints made against_ sonic of the large banking and insurance institutions. All employers of labour in the Dominion have a clear and simple duty before them. It is their business to aid the Empire in its struggle by giving all unmarried men in their employ permission to enlist and undertaking to keep their positions open for them on their return. Employers who fail to do this are as rank shirkers as the men who are free to answer the call and neglect to do so.