THE NEW RECRUITING SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2690, 9 February 1916, Page 4

THE NEW RECRUITING SCHEME

The Success of tho new recruiting scheme depends so greatly in. its initial stages on the personal enthusiasm of the members of the local bodies of the Dominion that it is a little discouraging to find, that thus early some of those bodies are declining to assist _with it. The Prime Minister and his colleagues on the Recruiting Board (Sir Joseph Ward and tho Hon. James Allen) have provided for a- systematic canvass of all men eligible for enlistment, and appear to have drawn up a plan of campaign which, properly handle'd, should produce good results. But there is the rub. _ A canvasser on, so delicate a mission must possess' not only enthusiasm, but he must be endowed with something more than the average share of tact and discretion. Moreover, he must have behind him a local organisation keenly interested in th& task allotted it. Can tho local bodies of the country as a whole be' looked to to handle the task with' "enthusiasm and make that judicious selection of canvassers so essential to the successful working of the scheme 1 It mtist bo confessed that tho matter is one open to doubt. Here in Wellington we arc fortunate in having a Mayor whose enthusiasm in all he undertakes is boundless, and who is possessed of a capacity for work which almost staggers belief. It may be that Mr. Luke has restful moments, but if so they must he few -'ndced 'n theso days of war. But how many are there serving on the local bodies of the country at the present time who are willing or able to give up their time so generously, and who possess the capacity which Mr. Luke possesses for throwing himself so whole-heartedly into every public venture he undertakes 1 There are,_ of course, hundreds of public'spirited men serving on our local bodies, but how many of them havethe time- ,to give to, Or the aptitude for, this recruiting work? It is in no spirit of hostility to the new recruiting scheme that'we raise these questions. If wc are to maintain tho voluntary system of recruiting, then some such scheme is essential. What wc would suggest, however, is that it will probably bo found that the best recruiting agencies under the scheme can be developed by organisations of enthusiasts such as the War League here, and that it id Ito these rather than to the local bodies themselves that the Government must look for .the ultimate success of the scheme. It has Lei;n explained that some such idea as this forms part of the Recruiting Board's general plan—that tho local bodies arcin the nature of rallying points where district movements may be _ initiated. What is chiefly required at the moment, therefore, 'is that the local bodies should endeavour 'to give the scheme a good start off. If this is done they will be in most cases quickly relieved of the greater part of the work by those public-spirited citizens who voluntarily join with them as provided under the scheme. In the circun> stances it .is difficult to see now any local bodv caii refuse to assist. The fact should not be lost sight of that more men arc urgently required at once. It is not merely a question of fulfilling our obligations to the Mother Country,'-great as they are, but it is an obligation we owe to our own sons and brothers already in the fighting lines. Wc owe it to them to send them all the assistance we can. Even those_ who may regard the new recruiting scheme in an unfavourable light ehould sink their prejudices and assist to the best of their ability to make it a success for the sake of the men who are risking their lives for us in the trenches and on the battlefields overseas.