The Dominion. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1915. THE NATIONAL REGISTER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2595, 18 October 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1915. THE NATIONAL REGISTER

The Government is to be congratulated on the form in which the'questions under the National Register Act are to be presented. When the Bill was before Parliament wo suggested that .the question calling on the man registering to givo reasons for a negative answer to tho inquiry whether or not he, was willing to become a ,; member of an expeditionary force, was not likely to produce the most satisfactory class of replies. As now framed, tho main objections then advanced are removed, and every person, single or married, who is within the age limit, should be able to givo a straightforward answer to tho questions asked. Every male citizen betwce.i the ages of 19 and 45 who has not already volunteered for service will be called on to reply to the following inquiries

(b) (1) Are yon (being a single roan without dependents) willing to become a member of an expeditionary force? (2) Are you (being a 6iiigle man with dependents, or a married man or a widower with, dependents) willing to become a member of an expeditionary force if required? If so, in what arm of the Service do you prefer to serve ? (c) If you have not volunteered for military service and aro not prepared to volunteer, are you willing to serve in any civil capacity in connection with the present war? If so, state in what capacity. (d) If there aro any circumstances or reasons that prevent you- from . offering your services, state them.

It will be seen from this that a distinction is made between single men without dependents and men, married or single, with dependents. This overcomes a difficulty which many patriotic citizens with dependents might reasonably experience. While ready enough to make sacrificc should occasion require, they might feel that their responsibilities to their dependents were such that they should not be called on for service until the supply of single men-had been depleted. , They are now afforded the opportunity of stating their readiness to go to the front if required in their turn, which means after the single men without dependents. It should be borne in mind that the duty of securing and filling in a registration card rests on every male resident in the Dominion between the ages of 17 and 60. The Government will endeavour to distribute the cards to everyone, but the ultimate responsibility for securing and filling in the cards rest's with the- individual himself. The information obtained when compiled should be of very great value in assessing our capacity to assist in the struggle, and it will also give some indication of our prospects of maintaining adequate supplies of reinforcements under the voluntary system.