The Dominion SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1916. AN ARMY IN RESERVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2938, 25 November 1916, Page 8

The Dominion SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1916. AN ARMY IN RESERVE

Much of the criticism _ directed against Britain's lack of initiative in the conduct of the war has been proved- to be unwarranted, but it must lie confessed that she has done amazingly little towards tapping some of Her available reservoirs of power. This statement- has not a little justification in application to India, but it has infinitely greater force where tho Continent of Africa is concerned. The fact seems to be undisputed that the warrior •races of British Africa would readily furnish many army corps of splendid soldiers, but -so far as the European theatres are concerned they have not yet been permitted, to furnish the Empire; with a single soldier. This is without doubt the most remarkable example of a wasted asset of' power 1 which the war affords. Some of. the _ native races of British Africa, like the' Zulus and .Basutos, are' richly endowed with the qualities'of the born soldier. : There "seems;" "'According 1 to StuArt-Stephess, who-' 'cite cusses in the English Review 'the question of raising a black army, •something in the very 'blood of the Zulus and Basutos which fits them for the easy acquisition of the fight-, ing trade. Members of some other tribes, .like those of West Central Africa, are less apt pupils of the drill-sergeant and musketry instructor than the Zulus an,<£ races near akin, ' but their instinct for the use of. the bayonet .Would make them redoubtable in the close fighting which bulks so large in the present war. Why Britain has abstained so long from calling upon her black subjects in _Africa for the military service which a large-proportion of them would gladly ■ render is something of a. mystery. So far as war service in Europe is concerned she has allowed the field of nativo African recruiting- to lie "absolutely fallow, though the employment of Kaffir labourer's in non-military service in France has been organised on a considerable scalo and is likely to be much extended. Britain's lack of enterprise in ■ the matter of military ' recruiting' in Africa is in striking contrast to the action of France. That country has already utilised' many thousands of native' African soldiers in the Western and is systematically exploiting, the extensive ground of her West African colonies. . Britain .has, vastly greater resources to draw upon in the' Dark ■Continent, and no sound defence seems possible of her- neglect up to the present to develop and turn to account an ~ immensely . valuable military asset. As information stands the raising of a black army to- serve ,against Germany in- tho main theatre seems to be justified equally on strictly practical grounds and from the moral stand•point/ To rely mainly or in an undue- degree upon -coloured soldiers to fight our battles in this war would have been 'ah'- - indefensible policy. Taking such a course the Empire would have invited the fate of bygone Empires which passed tbvough . decadence to dissolution. But no such objection can apply to the project of adding an African wing to the mighty Imperial Army, of which-'coloured troops form as yet an_ inconsiderable proportion. There is the less reason to oppose the _ use of British African troops against Germany since the , dark races which would be drawn upon have a very real interest in the defeat of the criminal nation which has sought to impose its will in the first instance upon Europe, but with ultimate designs extending much -further afield. Germany's way of dealing with' primitive races, in Africa and elsewhere, is known to all the world, and it would be a dark day for tho natives of Africa if Germany ever again became the arbiter of their fate. It is no pretenco to say that British African troops opposed to the German Western armies would, in the truest sense, be fighting their own battle as well as rendering useful service to the Empire and the Allies. Most people are, of course, well aware that British Africa is a recruiting ground of immense possibilities, but just how great an as-set-is being neglected is perhaps not commonly realised. The artielc by _ Major Stuart-Stephen? . to which reference lias been made throws much light upon the facts, ft is written by an officer who has seen much active service in various parts of Africa, and speaks with

first-hand knowledge of the qualities and capabilities of many of its dark races. Ho _ declares that between South Africa and West and West Central Africa (the AVestern Sudan) half a million men could be raised and thrown on to the. Western front for a big assault next summer—"an assault that, with that added weight, must by its sheer momentum roll over the German line of resistance." This is an attractive prospect, and there docs not seem to be any doubt-that African soldiers could be obtained in the numbers stated, and could be relied upon to play their allotted part. It must be recognised, however, that a number of difficulties oppose, the practical realisation of such a project as Major StuartStephens has outlined, and that unless Britain has already made extensive preliminary preparations in anticipation of the recruitment of black solders a longer time than he allows will be needed to surmount these difficulties. For one problem that of providing the officers required—Major Stuart-Stephens propounds a- solution, or an important pai'tial ■ solution, : that ■ looks feasible.- General Smuts, he sa.ys, has _ under his command in East Africa some 20,000 Dutch and British Afrikanders.. "From these could be selected quite *7000 officers, the most suitable men on the face pf the globe to be entrusted with, to, them, tho ideally congenial duty of raising a,. South African Native Contingent." This, of course, assumes the 'early termination of the East African campaign which seems to be in prospect. The balance of the" Boer ' General's force, Major Stuart-Stephens adds, would later on, after tho necessary weeding-out, bo available for tho leading of another South African "black draft." For a like service, with the proposed West African levies, the West African frontier force would have to J be, perhaps, dangerously depleted, of officers, "but. better that risk than leaving in the Dark Continent a mass of 'black fighting material which could be used to overwhelm/. next summer, the enemy on the front that counts—that of the West." Even assuming that the difficulty of providing officers can be--overcome there are. other problems to be faced, notably those relating to equipment and transport.' The last,-in view-of the heavy calls mado upon the Empire's shipping, is perhaps the most serious problem of all, but. in regard to equipment also .it has to be remembered that Britain has not only to fill her own needs, but is committed' to rendering important aid to her Allies, particularly Russia. All things considered the prospect of half a million troops from British Africa appearing in the Western theatre next is perhaps not bright. But there is no reason except lack of enterprise why a' considerable of these fine soldiers should not be thrown into the scale. .In any case it is an exceedingly unwise policy on tho part of an Empire engaged in : a war which may conceivably be fought to the bitter end as a. war . of exhaustion to pass over such, a recruitingground as Africa affords. As a matter of sound policy Britain should be exploiting the African recruiting field_ to the utmost extent ohat her means and circumstances will-.'permit.