MAN-POWER BILL INTRODUCED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 96, 16 January 1918, Page 7

MAN-POWER BILL INTRODUCED

A SWEEPING MEASURE SPEECH BY SIR AUCKLAND GEDDES (llec. January 16, 0.45 a.m.) ' London, January 14. Sir Auckland Geddes (Director of National Service), in introducing the Man-Power Bill, said that the manpower was the central war problem. The most urgent need at present was men for the Army. The position of Britain's Allies had laid the heaviest burden on Britain until America was ready. .The Allies were still substantially superior to the enemy as regards men, in spite of Russia and Rumania, but the Russian withdrawal would rcleaso a total of' 1,600,000 of the enemy's troops for the West. Tho Empire had hitherto raised million troops. England had contributed 4,530,000, Scotland 620,000, Wales 230,000, Ireland 170,000, the Dominions and the colonies, 900.000. The Army needed immediately another 420,000 to 450,000. It was not true that the British Army in the field was I dwindling. It was still stronger than ever, but it was necessary to look ahead in order to provide for the rearward services. Sir Auckland Geddes pointed out that tho problem could not be solved dramatically. Tho Bill would em- ' power tho Director-General to withdraw the occupational exemptions apart i from the Army's needs. The labour-1 employing departments required a I further 430,000 men and 119,000 wo- j men. Already 815,000 women mu-1 nitioners were employed, i | The speaker/ announced that the j Government had decided that for the present the military age would neither bo lowered nor raised. Compulsion would not be introduced into Ireland, but he would not hesitate to adopt any or all of these measures if Britain's military needs were not met otherwise.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter.