The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1915. THE FINAL EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2641, 11 December 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1915. THE FINAL EFFORT

The last trial of the voluntary recruiting system in tho United Kingdom comes to an end to-day. The Earl of Derby, the Director-General of Recruiting, admitted a day or two ago that the required number of men has not been secured, but there seems to have been a tremendous response during the final hours of the time allowed, and the result yet remains to be disclosed.. No reasonable man . can contend that the voluntary. method has not been given a ■full and fair trial. All sorts of expedients have been resorted to and almost every conceivable form of appeal has been made use of, but the results, though remarkable, have not been sufficient for the needs of tho occasion. The Home Government, when the final result is made known, will be expected to make some decisive move. Whatever number of men is necessary to win the war must be found. If the voluntary system cannot supply them, compulsion in some form must bo adopted. There is ho other alternative. The time for vacillation has passed; the time for courageous and resolute action has come. Some politicians are of opinion that Lord Derby and his helpers should go on with their work till the end of tlie year, but it is folly to put off once more the day of decision. When Lord Derby launched his new scheme two months ago he made it unmistakably clear that it was to be the final test of the voluntary system, and that the trial would como definitely to an end on December 11. In explaining his plans at a meeting held in London on October 9 he said:

This is tho last effort on behalf of voluntary service. It is not tho effort of an individual; it is the effort of a body of men, rejn'esenting all shades of politics, and the representatives of the Joint Labour Recruiting Committee which is acting in harmony with them. It is an appeal to tho people of the country to recruit for the peoplo, and it is an appeal which I hopo will not bo made in vain. It gives every nian his chance to givo his services to his King and country; . . Tho man who stands back is tho man who would let all tho horrors of Belgium ho enacted in this country, bemuse ho is afraid to bear his part. If, after all our efforts, there is only that class of man standing out, do you think the rest of tho community mil have much objection if ho is .forced to tako his bharo? (Cheers.) There aro peoplo who appear to be despondent about the spirit of the country. I am not. I believe that the heart of the country has to be touched. I believe we can do it. If men will only realise that it is their individual effort now that is going to secure for their children and their children's children a lasting and enduring peace, they will be prepared to jnalce some sacrifice, and oven any sacrifice, because none is too great vftnlo the country thus calls. I believe implicitly that if wo can got tho country at our back now, we are going to make this voluntary system an unqualified and a groat success. But the sands are running out, and there is no time to be lost.- If we all do to the best of our ability that which comes to our hand by voluntary mean's wo will put side by side with our gallant Allies in the field men equal in bravery to those who aro now fighting our battles, men, who, if in sufficient numbers, will uphold for all time tho honour and welfare of our King and his Dominions. (Cheers.)

Personally Lord Derby is a believer in compulsory national service, but he threw himself heart and soul into the effort to find tho number of men wanted without departing from the volunteor system. His campaign was carefully planned and carried out with great energy and thoroughness. A letter-war posted to evory man of imlitiu'y age (not beiuft a w Ai'kina; him to

consider his position—to consider whether, in a country fighting for its very existence, he was doing all he could for its safety, and whether tho reason ho had previously regarded as valid for not enlisting still held good at the present critical juncture. The following instructions to canvassers gives an indication of the spirit in which the campaign was undertaken:

To make a point of calling Tepeatedly until you actually see the man himself. Not to bo put oft' by assurances or statements from other people. To put before him plainly and politely the_ need of the country. Not to bully or threaten. To try to find out, if he hesitates or refuses, \£hat are his reasons.

to ascertain whether the difficulties can be removed by furnishing liim with information on any specific point (for example, pensions, separation allowanoes, vacancies in particular regiments), or by some possible action with lids employer. ■ To give him, if ho agrees, all necessary Information the place where and the method by which he may enlist. For men willing to enlist at once railway warrants will bo supplied. Canvassers are to endeavour to get all Sio men they possibly can for tho infantry, for it is tho infantry," it is pointed out,_ that is required to maintain the armies iu tho field, and tho issue of tho war largoly depoiids ou this arm." Above all, the canvass is to be carried | out in such a complete manner that no man shall ever be able to say again: "I did not know it was I who was needed." 1 to imagine what more could have been done to ensure the success of the scheme. Politicians, Labour leaders, clergy, soldiers, professors, and_ business men took part hi the meetings and demonstrations which were held all over tho country, but generally speaking the results achieved could nob be regarded as an adequate return for the, untiring energy and enthusiasm of Lokd Derby and his great band of workers. The recruiting agents state that two married men onlisted i CV m r >y u . nmar ™ c ' rccruit obtained. This is in ugly fact, and it is quite impossible for the Government to ignore it. Sir Leo Ciiiozza Money, a Liberal politician of high standing, recently pointed out that during the coming year 30,000 recruits a. week will be/ needed. This means that 1,500,000 _ new men will have to be raised within the twelve months. In .this way_ the strength of the Army will bo increased to over 4,000,000 men. Sir Leo Ohiozza Money goes on to state that, taking all purposes, including home defence, for which men are required, the country contains 10,000,000 males of suitable age to call upon, devoting the mid-dle-aged men to home defence. So" far only about a iourth-of them has been secured for the Army. It is really childish, ho says, to suggest that amongst the reni'aining threefourths it l is impossible to raise 30,000 a week. Tho men are there— that is certain; and if they will not come forward voluntarily the only alternative to compulsory national service is defeat. We cannot escape from unpleasant facts by refusing to look them squarely in tho faco. One can understand the point of view of the man who says that he will not agree to compulsion unless it is shown that it is essential to victory, but it is utterly. Irrational to deify freedom and sing hymns to it, and at the same time cling desperately to the freedom to refuse to fight for it. "Who would be free, himself must strike the blow." Some people still hold to the erroneous-idea that tho enforcement of national service j would violate some great principle. It is not a question of principle but j of necessity. No man has the right to claim in the name of liberty the privilege of living in safety and comfort at the price of other men's blood. The manifesto of tho Socialist National Defence Committee gets down to bedrock when it declares that national service is not only a duty, but a right. If the British Government firmly takes its stand on this unassailable principle and insists that every man must bo prepared to play his proper part in this war, either as soldier or civilian, it will be backed up enthusiastically by the overwhelming majority of the nation. The people are heartily sick'of procrastination, and are yearning for a strong and decisive lead. Tho apparent failure of Lord Derby's" scheme should provide Mr. Asquith and his colleagues with a splendid opportunity for action. . I

THE CALL FROMG&LLIPOLI

The Prime Minister to-day makes a call to the men who have enlisted and who wish to spend the holidays at home instead of at Trentham camp to forego their desire for the sake of the greater causc at stake. Mr. Massey jmts ,the position clearly and convincingly enough. The Ohristmas holidays appeal to most people as a time for family gathenngs_ and festivities of various descriptions; but is not' the present a time when our thoughts should be with the men across the ocean, 'toiling and fighting and enduring in the trenches at Gallipoli—for our benefit? How are theso gallant men to spend their Christmas and New Year? What can we do for them to add brightness to their Christmas, time and lend hopeful promise to'the New Year ? What do their letters home tell us? Always the same story: "We want all the men you csin sond." "When are you people at home going to ;wako_ up and send us tho men we need?" "You people in New Zealand do not yet realise how big this job is. The sight of a troopship with New Zealand troops on board is a glad sight for tired eyes." Theso and similar messages come by every mail from the firing Ikies m Gallipoli. Are we the"!i going to turn a deaf ear to theso appeals from our sons and brothers who are fighting our battles? Do our young men who want to spend the Christmas holidays away from camp appreciate what it will mean to their mates at Anzac if a reinforcement draft has to go away short-handed ? Our men have shown themselves brave, big-hearteel fellows, the equal of any soldiers in tho world, but if anything could depress and discourage them it would be the knowledge that we here have so little regard for their welfare that we will not even give up our Christmas holidays in order to ensure a full supply of reinforcements being sent to their assistance. And they need that assistance. They need every man we can send them ! and as quickly as we can send them. Let there be no mistake about that. ; We cannot shelter under the belief that a little delay will not matter. It may mean everything. The more men wo can send tho less the hardships to everyone—less time in the trenches; less risk from tho enemy's attacks; less strain, 'mental and physical. If there is one thing moro than another that tho young New Zealander prides himself on it is that lie is a "sport," and that lio "jiliiys the game." Is it "play- . iog the jume"- fcq Jwaut, b&ejs f.vaa

for a fortnight or a month when his mates across the water want his help—urgently want his help ? What would he think if he woro in a trench at Gallipoli, weary with doing extra duiy because of the shortage of troops, and he learned that because "the boys" here wanted to have Christmas as usual enough men wore not forthcoming to provide the needed relief? But the facts only need _to bo stated clearly and the position shown in its true light to ensure that the men who have enlisted here will not "lot down" their mates abroad. Me. Massey's appeal tte are confident, will go home. It is after all not a call from tllo nead of the.Government, but a ca 1 ! from Gallipoli—a call from the men who look to us to back them up. H would shame us everlastingly to think that we had failed in our part and sacrificed them when they most needed the help it is our duty to give them.