THE TERRITORIAL ARMY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13159, 4 July 1908, Page 9

THE TERRITORIAL ARMY.

MB HALDANE'S OPTIMISM. ' United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received Jaly 3rd, 3.15 pjn.) LONDON, July. 2. Mr Haldane, in an interview, said he considered it satisfactory that 170,000 men had joined the Territorial Army by the end of June. There hae been much anxiety about the failure of the Volunteers to join the new Territorial Army. The men were given until June 30th to enlist, bub 13u,000 are still wanted to make up tilne strength required by the War Office. Mr Haktane recently gave an interview to the "Daily Mail" on the subject, in which he said:—"That we should have reached only'4o per cent, of the required number is not alarming. Wβ have set out to get a new army under new conditions, and we cannot do that at a stroke. Before we reach our full strength wennust be certain that wo are getting the right material, and that the units an? being thoroughly organised. ... We are gradually and very carefully organising this new army. We are eliminating men who are over age, nnd selecting men capable of actual work in war. The laet thing we wish is to crowd tho force, but I am sufficiently confident that we shall have the whole force—unless some great change takes .place in tho attitude of the country towards it .—by no distant date." Mr Haldane emphasised tho new character of the force. They wanted to get rid of tho idea that volunteering was a "sport," and everyone to realise that the new system meant more work and less play. A minor point to be noted is that Mr Haldane has twice departed from tho tradition that a Cabinet Minister does not grant interviews.