NATIONAL SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 153, 2 December 1938, Page 11

NATIONAL SERVICE

NOT NECESSARY AT

PRESENT

BPJTISH DECISION

VOLUNTARY REGISTER ONLY

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received December 2, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY, December 1

The eagerly-awaited statement by Sir John Anderson, Minister of Civil Defence, on measures which the Government has decided to adopt to ensure that the man-power and womanpower arc organised in the most effective and practical way for voluntary service was made in the House of Commons today. Sir John Anderson intimated that, he hoped to make a furs the/ comprehensive statement soon on other aspects of the responsibilities with which "he had been charged, namely, civil defence.

Dealing with the national register, the Minister said that the Govern-

Mont had come to the conclusion that a compulsory register was not at present necessary or desirable, though it might become necessary, and for that reason, and so that it could be speedily compiled, he was taking steps to prepare the necessary machinery for the purpose.' But the Government was satisfied that all the immediate needs of the situation could best be met by a voluntary register. , , It was an essential preliminary, he said, that all who wished to serve the country should know how best their services could be utilised. It was therefore proposed to publish a handbook containing particulars of all services for which volunteers were required and indicating the types of men and women suitable for each, together with a list of key occupations in which individuals could best serve the State in a time of emergency by remaining at the work for which they had been trained. Regarding this list, the Ministry of Labour had already done much preliminary work in classifying occupations, but before final details were settled there would be consultation with representatives of both sides in industry. ORGANISATION TO BE SET UP. In addition to this publicity, and as preparation for a co-ordinated recruiting campaign for all the various services for which volunteers were required which it was hoped to launch early in the New Year, he was estab- j lishing a national service organisation with local committees throughout the country which would give full information and guidance to individuals in deciding where their duty lay. Sir John Anderson made it clear that it was intended to provide that persons volunteering for certain classes lof civilian service should be invited to undertake more definite obligations than had been expected hitherto. The Minister stated that the aim was to enrol sufficient numbers of recruits to bring each of the various services up to the estimated' requirements and to obtain for each service an adequate number of reserves. He' also intimated that no special legislation would be required in connection with the proposals.