A WAR OF ATTRITION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2621, 17 November 1915, Page 6

A WAR OF ATTRITION

S [THE CRY OF "NEVER MIND THE EXPENSE" DEFENCE MINISTER'S VIEWS "I can't understand this cry of never mind the expense," said the Hon. J. Allen yesterday. "Wo must mind the dxpense. This is a war of attrition. Wo must so use our resources as to wear down our foes by exhausting their resources in men and money and food. Men alone will not win the war for us." Those remarks had reference to a demand that 'has boon made that the Government should do more to aid the men rejected as . unfit because of defects that are curable bysurgical treatment, such as bad teeth, or varicose veins. Mr. Allen pointed out that tho State has undertaken the dental work which was the most expensive. The operations for varicose veins were, ho understood, minor affairs, and he did not think the State should be called upon to pa'y for them. He suggested that if the soldiers could not pay the Patriotic Societies might help a little in this rogard. Moil could get the operations done in the public hospitals, and there wero a number of men in. Christc'hurch Hospital being treated for these minor defects.

Mr. Allen said it Was most difficult to provide for absolute uniformity of standard in all local examinations of recruits. Surgeon General Henderson had convened a meeting of all the district P.M.O.'s and had considered these variations of standard by which men were rejected in one district and accepted ill others. They had discussed all these minor defects, and the reasons for the rejection of men. "It must not bo thought," said Mr. Allen, "that we pail relax the medical examination. The strain men have to bear is a very severe strain, and ive know by experience that our fcst is not too strict. Some say flat-footed men should bo accepted. Now, I have it from an officer of 20 years' experience that a flat-foot-ed man simply cannot be taken. Ho can't march as a soldier inust_ march to be efficient." Mr. Allen said that some ,of the hard and fast rules had been relaxed and details left to the medical officer's, judgment.