BRITAIN'S SINEWS OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2779, 25 May 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN'S SINEWS OF WAR

ANOTHER HUGE CREDIT t FINANCING OUR ALLIES SPIRITED SPEECH BY COLONEL CHURCHILL ARE WE USING OUR ENLISTED WAR POWER ? By Telegraph—Press .Association—Copyright T ~ _ . London, May 23. In the House of Commons, Mr. .Asquith, in moving the war credit vote of -fi.™,000,000, said he was confident himself of the financial interests of the country. Ho would not attempt l a general review of the strategic situation. Tho expenditure during the past fifty days has been .-£24] ,000,000. The principal items wore: Army, Navy, and munitions, -£149,000,000; loans to Allies and tho Dominions, ,£74,500,000; food supplies, railways, etc., .£17,500,000. Eliminating an item really belonging to 1915, tho daily average expenditure was somewhat below; iW,600,000. Mr. Asquith emphasised tho fact that one. of the contributions we are gladly making in tho common cause was financial assistance to the Allies—(cheers)— without which it was literally true the great combined operations could not be prosecuted with efficiency and success. A balance was still held from the last vote, which would suffice until Juue 2. The present vote was 'to «fle first week in August. He was convinced that provision for the prosecution of the war would be made readily and generously, with tho same confidence and justice which had caused the triumphant issue of tho previous votes. Colonel Churchill said it was unreasonable for people to expcct the war to turn decisively and suddenly in our favour. . Tho contending armies were far too ovenly matched. At present we felt stronger and had a preponderance of men but the enemy was in a central position. We had large reserves, actual ancl potential. Mr. Asquith had said that the Empire's military strength was 5,000,000. Where fere tliev? Certainly they were not in contact with the enemy.

Colonel Churchill computed that-front-ing the British Army in all theatres there were only 900,000 Germans and Turks, of whom, the infantry'and artillery numbered 500,080. If we had 5,000,000 meu, it was evident, after every conceivable deduction had been made, that a lar§e margin was not yet being -usefully applied in the prosecution of the war. lliero was a grim distinction' at the front between the trench and the non-trench population, which was yel part of the army that , really counted tor the •ending of th<S war. There was the killing, fighting, and suffering part. Every' serviceable man should be put in to lengthen and strengthen the fighting line. There were two hundred thousand officers in the Army, with two hui dred thousand servants, and fifty thousand grooms. This was an army m itself. It was possible to form infantry out of our great masses of cavalry. We might have twelve now Indian' divisions. The Empire's man power should be used remorselessly. . Mr. Churchill declared that the trench teen were living continually ucder fire, while the non-trench population- had' not suffered. The latter were enjoying good food, and often better pay. than the fighters, and the share of the decorations given to non-fighters was so disproportionate that it had become a byword. He urged the raising of an African negro amy in ' readiness for 1917. Even one hundred thousand would help, because the Allies would be compelled to pay life for life. Out of the $15 millions of India, one hundred thousand men were fighting. Mr. Churchill's sprech deeply interested the House. It is evident that his return to politics has greatly strengthened him. Ho sharply criticised the want of armies in the East, especially on tho Salonika front, where were only Bulgars who did not want to fight; The rest nf : tho speech was unimportant. The vote for the. credit was passed.