AN APPEAL FOR ANOTHER 10,000 MEN

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15208, 20 February 1915, Page 10

AN APPEAL FOR ANOTHER 10,000 MEN

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE TRESS." Sir, —The following cables have appeared in our Press: —"Tlio Army voto for 3,000,000 men passed the House of Commons." (Feb 11th.) "The Belgians are endeavouring to raiso an army of 200,000 men; 80 per cent, of the 1914 recruits living near the Dutch and French frontiers have already joined the colours." (Feb. 16th.) A recent issue of the "Australasian" told us: — "The Fisher Ministry has at last awakened to a sense of duty to the .thnpire, and says it is going to semi to the front every suitable man. it can get All pretence of reinforce'mente of iiOOO a month sufficing has been dropped. . . It admits now that the Empire needs every possible man, and as speedily as he can be sent from the Dominions." Thus, elsewhere, it is realised, that if the war is not to go on indefinitely, every available man. must be put in tho lield. Have we here reached this pointr Hardly, I think. The sacrifices of the Motherland should move us to greater things than ive have yet attempted. c>o far, what have we done? After nearly seven months of war, we have sent, including the February reinforcements, 13,000 troops. Then, according to present arrangements, drafts of 2000 are to leave every two ! months. Thus by tho end of June we shall have sent 17,000 men. In view of the heroic efforts elsewhere, and especially at Home, is tliis quota worthy of our Dominion r Is this all wo can do? (Let it not bo forgotten that, bo far, the war has brought unprecedented prices for some of our products.) Surely not! In addition to the bimonthly drafts, we ought at once. I think, to set about raising an extra force of 10,000—5000, say, to accompany the April draft ami 5000 the June draft. As to the financial cost, we shall- find it cheaper in the long r.m, for the more men in the field, the shorter the duration of tho war. And as to 'the recruits, I am convinced that with adequate methods the men will be forthcoming. Let the loaders of the political pa-rties hold united recruiting meetings: let the co-operation of the Press and the pulpit be secured, as in England; and let each province be allotted its quota, and we shall have the men fast enough. After all, the question resolves ' itself to this. Are wo doing ALL we can? Can" we do more? If we can we ought, and AT ONCE. The grave issues at stake forbid less than our utmost. The official voice may tell us that wo are now sending all the men asked for. ■Possibly but that is not the point. What about Australia? Was not she sending all asked for prior to her resolve to send every man available? If -New Zealand offers an extra 10,000 men, will the War Office refuse to accept them? Not likely! Oh, in this hour of world-crisis, let ns not be slow to rise to our plain duty^ur^tc^