AUSTRALIA'S CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 142, 5 March 1918, Page 6

AUSTRALIA'S CALL FOR MEN

THE NEW RECRUITING SCHEME

TO COST £800,000 PER ANNUM

It was announced by tho Federal Minister of Defence last week that immediate action would be taken to give effect to tho proposals of the Government in regard to recruiting. There is naturally a great deal to be done before tlie proposals can become effective. As was generally anticipated would bo the case, the scheme (says the Melbourne "Age") makes provision for the payment of additional allowances to the dependents of soldiers, the increase decided upon in regard to tho separation allowance being 33 1-3 per cent. It was made clear by the Minister of Defence recently that tho increased allowanco will apply to all members of the A.I.E. already enlisted, as well as to future recruits, and be stated that the increase would take effect from a dato to he fixed. From statistics in the possession of the Defenco authorities it was estimated last week that the number of married men and single men with dependants at present in the A.I.F. is something like 50,000, while "their dependants number, roughly, 150,00,0. The additional cost involved by the payment of increased allowances to these dependants on the scale fixed under the now recruiting scheme will approximate £600,000 per annum. This, of course, is irrespective of all. future enlistments. Therefore, the total annual bill for the payment of allowances to the dependants of the men now serving _ in the A.I.F. will amount to something like £3,200,000. Regarding the appointment of a Parliamentary Under-Secretary oi" Defence to administer the recruiting movement and to, overhaul existing recruiting organisations, it is generally believed that Mr. Groom, the present Assistant Minister of Defence, will be selected^for the position. The Direc-tor-(Jeneral of Recruiting (Mr. D. Mackinnon). stated last week that lie would carry on in his present position. Ho will in all probability act as the chief advisor to the Minister appointed to take over the complete control of recruiting. Ono of the first steps to be taken under the new scheme will be the reorganisation- of many of the existing recruiting bodies. Some little time must elapse before arrangements can be completed for'the taking of voluntary ballots as suggested in tho Government's scheme. It is proposed to distribute cards to all men between the ages of 19 and.44) asking for information regarding their age, occupation, anil, willingness or otherwise to submit their names to a ballot, and to enlist if drawn for service Some difficulty may he experienced in getting into touch with every eligible man, but tho recruiting organisations in the several States are believed to possess ft very fair idea now of the whereabouts of the eligibles in tlie various electorates, and it is not expected that there will he any need to have recourse to another war census. In reference to this method of balloting for service an opinion has been given by a legal authority that men agreeing to enlist if drawn by ballot would bo liable under tho civil law to a breach of contract if they failed to carry.out their undertaking. • The selection of a High Court Judge to act as a member of the 'impartial tribunal which, under the new scheme, is to be appointed to decide as to the actual number of reinforcements required from Australia, will, it is believed, occupy tlie attention of the Cabinet this week. Another matter to be given early attention will be tho preparation of complete lists showing tho number of casuals in Government employment, and, as announced by the Prime Minister, military eligibles will' bo replaced wherever possible by returned soldiers. Tlie Government has also agreed to appoint a special magistrate to inquire into cases where persons of enemy descent or origin are alleged to be in Commonwealth employ and _to submit recommendations as to- their continuance or otherwise in such employment. So far- no officer has been selected for this nosition.

The decision of the Government to allow all soldiers in the A.I.F. interest on their deferred'pay at tho rate of 4-J per cent, per annum, which is another feature of the scheme, will involvo tho payment of a considerable amount of money which at present, presumably, finds its way into the Treasury. Each soldier on active service has at least Is. a day deducted from his pay by the authorities, and this money is saved up for liim until his return. Assuming that there are just 200,000 soldiers in the A.I.F. at tli? present time, the deferred pay of these men for twelve months, at tho rate o" Is. a day for each juan, would total £3,650,000. The interest on this sum ho tne rate of 4-i pp,r cent, per annum would amount fo £1(34,250. ", It was announced by the Primp Minister that it is intended to pay recruiting sergeants a bonus of 10s. fov every recruit actually enlisted. Apparently tin's will result in t>, revision of the existing rates of nay drawn by recruiting sergeants. At present flieso men are paid a salary .of £4 a week, and it-is not considered likely that in addition to this sum they would bo granted a, bonus of 10s. for every,recruit enlisted. Views of Director-General. The • Director-General of Becruiting expressed the opinion that tho recruiting proposals of the Government should Meet with general approval. He "remarked, however, that any scheme couid only be looked upon as an aid or a help. What would really count would be the determination of the people to get rid of past differences and to work together for the great common end, which was that of doing Australia's share in the war. Until tho people of Australia began to realise tho extreme gravity of the war situation no scheme would bring satisfactory results. Therefore; tho first thing to be done was for all sorts and conditions of men to come together and co-operate; to become organised; and for every man and woman in the community to feel that they had a part to play, and that they must play it to the utmost of their strength. People in Australia had really not anything like realised the stern side of the war. They had not realised that it was possible that we might lose the war. They had not realised that the loss of the war, or even its resulting in a draw, was of momentous consequence to Australia. ' Commenting on tho Government's ■scbome in detail, he said the proposal for an impartial tribunal to determine requirements in the way.of reinforcements seemed to him to be perfectly fair, and should get over one of the main difficulties that had confronted them in the past. The appointment of a Parliamentary Under-Secretary who would devote the whole' of his tiino to the recruiting question would be of undoubted assistance. lie was particularly pleased that the" Government had decided to increase the amount of the separation allowance payable to the dependants of soldiers. Many married men had been anxious to enlist, but had felt that they were not .justified in leaving their wives and children under the conditions which up to the present had prevailed. It had been noticeable that recruiting had never been particularly good in thqse districts which were populated by families where the principal wageearner received between £4 and £5 a week. He considered that the proposal to couduct voluntary ballots

would prove attractive, to many cligibles. Australians, lie remarked) dearly loved to take a chance. He pointed out that it would require considerable local energy and careful organisation to carry this proposal into oifect. It was, however, a thoroughly democratic procedure, and if well anC conscientiously worked, would give results in many places that had not as yet done their share.