The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1916. BRITAIN'S ARMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1916. BRITAIN'S ARMY.

Tile House of Commons lias just passed ar: army vote for four million men. In order to realise, how great a transformation lias taken place in Britain's war strength it is necessary to go back to the beginning of the year 1914, when the g alined strength of the nation stood at 016,110, but on September 15 in the same year the numbers had risen to 1,207,000, only a 6mall proportion, however, being (it for the field. Since then Kitchener's new army, which the Germans derided as "contemptible," 'lias grown into a well-trained and equipped force of four millions, an achievement that is only a little short of a miracle. In large measure Lord Derby must he credited with the splendid result obtained by a recruiting caihpaign that surpassed all anticipations. According to this morning's crtble the only important criticisms in connection with the vote concerned the Government's attitude towards tne married recruits, but Mr. Long contended that the Government had never undertaken that the married men should not be called up until every single man had been taken for service. Probably this may be strictly true; the impression was, however, to the contrary. The exigencies of the situation are such that it is no time for splitting straws, and Mr. Long rightly urged that all the available energy of the country should be concentrated upon strengthening the army, and that other things might be allowed to slide. It was, he said, dangerous to rely on the financial exhaustion of Germany, adding that (he war must be won by military victories. There is far more truth in this contention than is generally recognised. Germany may be hard pressed financially, and have to resort to extremely precarious methods of raising money for war purposes, hut it is well known tliat she is not yet at the end of her tetlier in this respect, and can finance—in her own way—for 6ome time to come. Economically, however, Germany is on the verge of a collapse, and the tightening of the blockade will assuredly hasten the process materially. It is this factor that will bring home to the Teutons the knowledge that all is not well with their armies. Already the people are undergo- | ing the pangs of hunger and clamoring for relief, only to be shot down or brutally ill-treated by the military and police. , The army must be fed, no matter who starves, for the most intense patriotism dissolves when no food is forthcoming. Meanwhile Britain lias raised her fighting strength to four millions, and the Dominions are largely increasing their supply of men, while the British Navy is performing marvellous work that is of incalculable value. On Hie other hand Germany has lost over a quarter of a million men in a fruitless effort to hammer a way through the . French lines at Verdun. Turkey is turn- < ing longing eyes towards the Allies: Bulgaria, refuses to obey German dictates, 'and Portugal has joined the Allies. The , time for decisive action approaches, 1 when Britain's four million men should ' turn the scale and bring final victory j within the grasp of the Allied Powers. '