BRITAIN AT WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 68, 20 March 1916, Page 6

BRITAIN AT WAR.

AS SEEN BY GERMANS. An article on the British Armies from the pen of Dr. Haas Vorst appears in the Berlin Tageblatt of the 6th December. We make the following extracts: — I wish to speak to-day of what the English have done and intend to do, as it seems to me that among us the work which the English have done in reference to their Army is under-val-ued. I believe that true measure of things is gained by a comparatively simple sum in arithmetic. According to the official statements made in Parliament, which, after all I have heard in England, I am constrained to accept as correct, the British Army and Navy have about 3,000,000 with the colours. Although an appreciable' part of that number has not yet competed its training, this does not detract from the fact of their being recruited.

To that number we must add the casualties of the war, which must already have exceeded 400,000, when it is considered that, according to the official statements, the casualties up to 21st August of this year (and before the autumn offensive in the West) ; amounted to over 385,000. If one wishes to estimate the port which the United Kingdom has contributed to the total result, it is necessary to deduct from it the number of troops sent from the Colonies. According to Asquith's last statement in Parliament, the Colonies (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the West Indies) have sent roundly 225,000 men. The troops from India we estimate at about 500,000, which is smaller than we formerly calculated. It therefore appears from this computation that England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland have alone contributed over 2.600,000 men for the Army and Navy. 'AN EXTRAORDINARY FEAT The fact that England when war broke out was not prepared to equity and train a large Army makes this an extraordinary feat of organisation, and one can scarcely think it possible thai they could have had a larger body < troops ready for service even if universal conscription had been introduced at the beginning of the war On the other hand, these figures prove that, so far as the English are, concerned* this cannot any longer bspoken of as a war imposed on the country by the Cabinet, but that the English people have begun to take a real part in it. As the population of the United Kingdom is about 46,000,000, under universal) conscription about 10 per cent, of this number could serv e—i.e., 4,5000,000 men. That far more than half of this possible have rallied voluntarily to the colours must be regarded as a remarkable result.

We dare not deceive ourselves as regards what these figures prove —

namely, that the great majority of the English people have realised the gravity of the situation, and are resolved to place at the service of their counts-, not only their money,, but aiiso their lives. Further, then, 2,500,000 men •were not merely moved by a sudden wave of patriotic feeling to rush to the colours, as often is experienced at the beginning of a wav; but, indeed, by the continual misfortunes of the Allies, the bombardments of the English coast, the results of the German submarine warfare, the air raids of London —in one word, not hopes, but disappointments have moved the majority to put their lives at the disposal of their country after they have thought over the matter coolly and deliberately.'

CONSCRIPTION. ; It is a further proof of England's I determined attitude in regard to the war that this drastic .reform, which is so alien to Engllish traditions, is at the present time seriously considered. Up to now every effort has been made to avoid this great break with tradition, or rather the efforts which arc now made to keep voluntary recruiting on its feet are with the view of convincing the country that conscription is unavoidable, and to weaken the opposition of the Labour party. Here, also, the G/Overnmfnt has gone to work in a . very capable way. It has, as is known, brought it about that the Labour organisations

have fully recognised the duty of the country to provide t-'ro men. necessary to replace the wastage. Thus the opposition to conscription on the part of Labour men will he removed in the event of the recruiting campaign, which they themselves have now taken in -hand not yielding sufficient numbers. And that time must come. The voluntary system has already supplied so many that there cannot now ho go very many more who .will! bo brought in by it. T believe that the groat majority of the English people have travelled so.far that serious opposition to the necessary change, from whatever side it. came, would be easily overcome.