ARMY PERIL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 719, 19 January 1910, Page 11

ARMY PERIL.

THE SUPPLY;OF 'OFFICERS DRYING /:: : v:;'::-' '' : :-',-:.;'':'UP/- ; : >--;-.'- .■'</■ :.','■. V; The'.problem of obtaining"suitable can-' :diddtes : ;'for jcommissions'- in the -.'regular.Army is-assuming-very alarming pronorr tions/.(says;. the; London .."Standard''). Cadets of the .-right social. ..and:'' .'educational stamp: are-:becoming. fewer, every, yearj-anditho recent.November-December :examinations;.for.-commissions in' : the infantry,' artillery, and engineers j have.;had ■to ho dispensed with. Previously, examinations lor. entrance, to. Sandhurst -'.were, abandoned.: owing ito" 'paucity-'.-' of' candidates ; '.presenting, themselves;":'.: cavalry, commissions were-;,dispensed;.with• for;•':,a probationary: system ■- entry; ■ and-i more recently '.the.;, age'.'"limit-, has, been reduced from-18 : years'.to' 17J. years.':..;;,- v-i ; ':.-. .-, ; '.<. .;It is.--sufficiently .evident-'to.' all con--, corned: that 1 parents''and,guardians ''are 'seeking other .careers'.for'their sons; and so:great. is;'the unpopularity,.' of'the Army, as a -profession that measures' .of a'most drastic 1 kind are ..heeded; 'A,,commission,; it ;is : tti 'bo;appbiritedj''6.bmprising a .far-reaching^representation': in membership, to; inquire - into th 6 -and'.'-particular pains, 'should'.be taken' to.' get all.'possible! outside evidence, for. the reasons of the :shbrtag'e.-;■"■; -•'. [<:'■:.■:"? .."■ln sbmp;quarters:it is contended;that the political side of Army reform'has'had; ■a effect, bh;the enlrV;of cah:l r br:-ecohomical : and r not "military' reasons whole, s hattidions'.' and' units : have 'been;-swept'awayn and' the '.position-;of : .many; officers' has been, made most acute in-'consequence.- . Advancement,. '"promo-' fieri;: and/prospects :haye ; :beenV.so'-; retarded::as' to -bring the; Career . of: many' practically" to -ah■:end" '- and ; some' find :themselves'faced ; ,with-the problem .'of'obtaining 'a- second-'nieans of 'livelihood 1 at a' time; whon too old for : it, - and "yet too young .''to:-:bo ;idle; Tlje stoppago: of; promotion; has'told its ,tale in,many counties and there is the.'recent-case of a- famous: military \ family. _ breaking •■■ for .:tho'; first time; a long cherished, tradition-of■'.6ehd-ingialLthe male line into the Army.' . ' :!: Another pbtont reason:is that;the pay is' ;insufficient;.ahd has : nbt kept .pace either, 'with '•' the.; enormous "demands,: and',; tests niade' on the: officer or. ;with; the; increased rate of..,living.;;;and',.'- civil.;;,, emoluments .brought .about.by the-ordinary progress of - civilisation;' In/the-old; days- the; pay off the .-officer-was: fixed on: the; : :basis.of,':his giving-half ; :his.time- to his rogiment. v-A----i commission: was ,part ; ..'of,'a; social. careerrather than, a/hard .profession;' and to-day',; when; the -.Army'.' is a -serious career;' -the.' pay is still half-time ': pay," despite.'the fact; that v tho v'soldior's', rates'• have > been greatly-increased.. y» '-:.'";'' !■'■■:•■■!■ ■;'■-. ;. iAgain;:;it ; .is■■ considered that. the':State should make a libha fido contract .with the' officer, under which he would possess legal; rights and',privileges which are,now- de-; nied him; i and the absohce, of which place' his prospects ..at tho mercy; of -any Army Order, consequent''oil ia, political change.; : Ih a' ,faw"'.m6ntb!s,\Mifaigeniwt3' , -VnU:'T» ! completed'for ttking:ah 'ihoroased/nuin■ber- of Sandhurst, ,'in: order to cope .with'the shortage,"but; the'situa; tion;haß changed so rapidly for the 'worse that; it seems that there' will be iao' 'cadets. ; to 'fill, the new''buildings. >". -The RegularJ'Army; is a few. huhdred : 'officers short, and the Reserve, is nearly 1000-short.''"-'';':::''; '?; : ", ■■i-.' : '?..'" : -"/