BRITAIN'S CALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1918, Page 7

BRITAIN'S CALL.

SIU AUCKLAND GEDDES UN MANPOWER BILL. A MASTERLY SURVEY. [The. Press Association reports , which reache(f New Zealand, via Sydney, of the speecn delivered by Sir Auckland Geddes (British Minister for National Service), when introducing the Man-Power Bill in t'he House of Commons, were very much condensed. Ir. view of the importance of the subject, and the admirable quality of the speech, we reproduce the very much fuller ports which were published by ~ie Australian Press.] London, Jan. 15. In the House of Commons to-night Sir Auckland Geddes (Minister for National Service) made an important statement reviewing the whole question- of manpower. which he declared was the central probiein of the war. Every day Britain's hitting force vvus becoming more important to the Allies. And Britain must prepare to pla.v a larger part is the battlefield until America was ready, but not at the expense of vital national industries, nor regardless of the Navy and food. He emphasised the all-import-ance of the Navy. We have trodden some strange paths with iittle profit, since 1914. Let us return to the faith of our forefathers, and recognise that on the sea and by the sea we live. The Government had examined the entire question of the strength and uharacter and composition of the forces of ourselves and our Allies and enemies in the light of the situation in Russia. Tht result of the inactivity of Htissia was that !>!i0,000 additional German . troops would be available for the forces on the Western front and several Aus-tro-Eungarian divisions for the Italian front. 'Taking everything into consideration the Russian defection would possibly nftan ",000,00© Austro-German troops available for elsewhere. Nevertheless the resources of the Allies were sufficient to assure victory. Nothing but a psychological catastrophe in one or other of the Allied countries could save the Central Powers. Tlie Government had most carefully considered the question oi casualties, and determined that carelessness as regards human life should be stamped out everywhere. Be was not accusing any admiral or general of recklessness, but was simply laying down ao essential general principle. Before asking the House to consider demands for more men, lie wished to show what tile British League of Nations had done. WHAT BRITAIN HAS ALREADY JJIVEN IN MEN. -i August, l(H<f, : personnel oi the Navy was 150,000, and of the regultu Army (including reserves) 450.000 and the Territorials 250,000. Now the personnel of the Navy was 400,000. and the Army 4,000.000. The Air Service strength in 1914 -vas 2000. To-day it was 125,000. However, to the above figures must ,ne added the killed %nd missing, prisoners, and discharged men, taking everything into consideration the effort of the British nations under the heading, '•'Provision of Men for tht Armed 'forces of the Crown," amounted to not less than 7,500.000. England had contributed 4,530,000' men, Scotland 620,000, Wales 280,000, Ireland 170.000, and the Dominions and colonies 5)00,000 Tfce remaining million was composed of native fighters, labor corps, carriers, and others. This represented a splendid contribution by India and the various African and other dependencies But even these figure* failed to indicate our total effort;, for they took no account of manufacturer' of munitions, ships, naval am! mercantile, aircraft, the increased production of food, iron ore, oil, and gupplies of all kindsrwe furnished to our Allies. If this effort was to bo carried on and our sacrifices were not to be in vain, our armies, must be maintained throughout 1018. Their demands could be inet from two sources Firstly, from reserves at home and broad; secondly, from men remaining in civil life. Even after readjusting the home armies to enable the greatest possible proportion to be sent abroad it would still be necessary to raise 450,<KKi from the men still in civil life. This was an absolutely minimum requirement. The lowering of the military age, except, as a last resort, was contrary- to natural instincts and economically unsound. The Government felt most strongly that it would be contrary to national interests to raise the age limit whilst [large numbers of fit youths were employed in civil life; men 'vho could he released witliont seriously endangering essential work. The Government was satisfied that the reasons which led to the exclusion of Ireland from the Military Service Act had lost none of their cogency. The Commons and Cabinet had determined to make available for the. military forces a very large number of youths engaged in essential industries, replacing them with women and former soldiers. This wquld leave ir. civil life a large reserve of men over -11 which our eneijiies would not possess, and which could be thrown into the scale if necessary. The pacifist* were now attempting to stir up strife in the munition works, and the youths engaged in vital industries were threatening to hold up the output of ships and aeroplanes in order to force the Government to exempt tliem. This would mean the sending of wounded and older men to the front, and the limiting or stopping of soldiers' leave. It the threat were carried iiut these youths' would meet a blast of hatred and contempt which would surprise them, EQUALITY OP SACRIFICE. The main object oi tile proposals was to secure equality of sacrifice as far as practicable. A Bill war, now being introduced which provided for the abolition of the two months' exemption granted to men leaving certified occupations. The effect would he that well men would join the Army more rapidly and more numerouslv than hithe;to. The Bill also empowered the withdrawal .of certificates of exemption granted on occupational grounds. A wrgV ••.umber of men were «t present holding such i-erti-ficates who were engaged in work of practically no national importance. Alter mentioning that, over a million men lipid protection certificates which at present were cancellable, Sir Auckland Geddes proceeded to explain that only men fit tor general service (voui<; he taken from vita! Industries. swl ilio number required would be seemed In a clean out, determined or. an sge basis, for each particular occupation. Shipping was a vital problem. Every

ton built or saved from the submarines, or economised by substituting home production for imports, meant a ton available to bring the American forces into the field. Our ?E.emie-. Mere staking everytiiing upon our failure i.o solve the problem Our success in solving it would mean a certain victory. Aliens .vould not heneeforih be employed in certain restricteu occupations of an 'unessential character without a permit. Uninterned enemy aliens, if fit, must do national work or be interned. Arrangements were being made for the extension of employment of schoolboys, of whom 4000 were successfully used last seascfc, witli the Boy Scouts, lor harvesting and clearing iand. Women munition workers (including Admiralty workers) numbered nearly: 815,000 at the end of 1917, compared! with "227,000 in 1914, and still more women of all classes were necessary. I He expressed his thanks to the mili- J tary authorities of the New Zealand* South African, and Newfoundland contingents who consented to grant furlough to the skilled agriculturists for work on the land. Their timely help, coming at a critical period in the agricultural cycle, liitd been greatly appreciated. * j PUBLIC OPINION. Sir Auckland Geddes deeply impressed the Iloust of Commons and the Press. The majority of the newspapers applaud his passionate reproof of industrialist snirkcrs who are threatening to strike. The Daily News suggests that Britain snould largely transfer'the home army to the front It describes the idea of invasion as grotesque insanity. The Post thinks that the justice of the attitude towards ahirkera is incomplete while Ireland is omitted. The Daily Chronicle deserves the Government's policy as "fair nil round."