GERMANY'S MAN POWER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 173, 12 May 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

GERMANY'S MAN POWER.

The question of Germany's remaining military strength is naturally exciting even keener interest in France than in Britain. It is a leadng topic of newspaper d'scussion. Commandant de Crosieux argues in the "Matin" that Germany in January had only about three-quarters of a million men in reserve. He claims that exhaustion of her man-power is at hand. "At the outbreak of war Germany had, according to !:er own returns, 9.370,000 men from 19 to 45 years of age, available for military service of one kind or another. On January 1 last Germany's man-power," he contends, "is thus *o be accounted for : (1) Men in arms 4,500,000 (2) 16 months' losses, at an average rate of loss of 200,000 men a month 3,200,000 (3) Munition workers and others kept at home for the needs of the country 700,000 (4) Germans detained abroad 200,000 Total 8,000,000 Thus there remain out of the original number only 770,000 men to draw upon. These, with the wounded men who have been cured, constitute the last reserve that German can mobilise Four months henco Germany will be unable to *ill t-e gaps without calling out the 400,000 or 500,000 men between the ages of 45 and JO who are physically utilisable and happen to be free from any military obligation—i.e.. not belonging o tho Landsturm or other categories, all of which have already been called up. This will, no doubt, be the business before the Reichstag in its next session." This estimate, it will be observed, makes no allowance for the " in. effectives."