THE CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 31 July 1915, Page 12

THE CALL FOR MEN

AUSTRALIA'S RECRUITING BOOM A FORCE OF 100,000 TO BE MAINTAINED Australia- is setting a new goal beforo herself in her recruiting. It is to send a force of 100,000 to tiio front, and to keep it at that strength, A few months ago the objective was to enlist 100,000 men, but this lias now been achieved, and with the urgent call from Lord Kitchener the. country is setting to work with a will at the new task. Recruiting campaigns are in progress in different States, and in course of organisation in others. The most active work when the niail left was being carried out in Victoria, where in nine days 14,985 recruits offered themselves and 10,696 were accepted. The State had aimed at raising ten thousand men in a fortnight, but the figure was reached in a much shorter time. A Melbourne correspondent writes:—"The wave of enthusiasm is not by any means spent, When the campaign .was initiated few people dared to hope that the 10,000 mark would be exceeded in so short a time. That was certainly made the objective when the time for the special effort was extended to a fortnight, but it wa? beyond the hopes of the most optimistic of campaigners that this figure would be exceeded' on the ninth day. Yet such has been the case.

"Great assistance is now coming forward from country centres. These held back at the outset, but the men are now arriving from various districts in batohes and headed by banners, with inscriptions announcing the centres from which they come, and tha fact that they have heard the Empire's call. They march through the streets to the recruiting office, to the accompaniment of cheers." Daily Appeals in the Press. In Victoria and New South Wales brief appeals for men are made in the Press by leading public men. Here is a typical one by Mr. Holmah, Premier of New South Wales: — "Cansidsr Your Duty." Are you able-bodied, physically sound, and unencumbered? Do you value personal ease and comfort less highly than the integrity of the Empire and the inviolability of Australia?. Do you feel yourself as good a man as thousands of Belgians who stood for .their rights or the millions of Britishers who are now offering themselves freely to defend theirs? Answer these questions and then ' consider your clear duty. '. Enlist at once. ,

' _ W. A, HOLMAN, Premier of New South Wales. Mr. Cook, Leader of the Federal Opposition, ill ono message says:— • Tha Alternatives. Honour or Remorse. In the case of freo eligible young men tho alternative is:—Th© roll of honour with the affectionate gratitudo of a nation and the approval of one's own conscience, or the remorseful memories of having remained at home while their comrades were done to death by superior numbers. Victoria's Campaign.

The Victorian campaign is the most successful yet conducted in any portion of the Dominions. At the outset a, State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. D. Mackimion, Frank Clarke, and J. W. Billson, This committee issued a stirring manifesto to the people of Victoria, ajid -organised tho campaign. Last week it issued over 20,000 circulars, and distributed 17,000 posters all oyer the State. Among other, arrangements, the Mayors of municipalities around Melbourne, sent out appeals to every householder explaining tho following "ways of helping the Empire":—: (1) Enlist. (2) Encourage, help, or persuado soincono to enlist. (3) Fil] in the enclosed card, and return to one of the meetings or by post. (4) Offer to join the band of colleotors of weekly Red Cross donations. (5) Volunteer to make and supply Red Cross requirements (list of large variety forwarded if desired, or procurablo at Toi»n Hall). (6) Volunteer to work makmg 'munitions or' military equipment, (7) Volunteer to give from time to timo help_ in any direction it is needed. (8) Join a rifle club, drill, and become efficient for any emergency (9 If you aro an employer, offer to keep open the place of any employee who enlists.

_ A great campaign of platform-speak-ing was mapped out. Ministers and members of tho Opposition took tha field together. Federal Ministers and members co-operated, and other assistance was promptly available. Great audiences assembled everywhere to testify that tho people had only been waiting for tho public men to give them a lead—as they are waiting. m New South Wales now. New South Wales Figures. Tho Now South Wales campaign is to begin on August 1, but in the meantime is steady. ■ The Sydney "Telograph" of July 13 says: New South Wales has to provide 560 recruits weekly as its quota to the Federal average. Last week 1130 men were accepted for service abroad, or 582 more than the Stato is asked to supply. 1 The authorities aro exceedingly pleased with tho result :s. Yesterday was one of the busiest days the enrolling officers have had at Victoria Barracks sili'ce the rush to tho colours at tho commencement of tho war. The enrolments numbered 427, and of tris total there were only 125 rejected, leaving 302 as fit to bo sent into Liverpool Camp. ' Last week's daily figures were:— July. Rejected. Accepted. 4 150 IG9 5. 62 197 6 72 149 7 08 186 8 59 163 9 78 1 131 -' 10 59 1.30 Totals ... 5-18 1130 Our Minimum Contribution.

The "Argus," writing of the now effort, says: "Tho war has in many respects made a. -.iiockery of all estimates an dforecasts, and therefore wo need not bo sunnised that «11 early anticipations of tho sacrifices it would require of Australia havo already been far outdone, though the end is not yet in sight. Though we havo enlisted 100,000 men, our wastage in various directions lias boon large. The purpose Australia has now to set-before herself for tho immediate future is to have a fighting forco of 100,000 at tho front, and to maintain it at tljat strength. New developments may demand a much greater effort even tliat that, but for tho prosent that should be looked upon as our minimum contribution to tho conflict. The first orgauised effort to secure recruits has produced such a splendid response that all doubt as to oiir ability to securo all the troops wo ask for may bo sot definitely at rest. There must bo • unwearying, effort, ungraudging expenditure, complcto organisation, and great enthusiasm before we can maintain our Australian army at tlio 100,000 standard. But whon we remombor tho titanic efforts and tho almost- incredible expenditure of tho Motherland, our task seems small in comparison."