EVERY MAN WANTED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2501, 30 June 1915, Page 8

EVERY MAN WANTED

APPEAL TO AUSTRALIA

MINISTERS' STATEMENTS

"AA'e arc now informed by the British authorities that every man is wanted. AVe send that message to you, and through the Press to Australia.. Every man is wanted. It is not for you to thii.k 'Can the Government provide us with uniforms?' Every man is wanted, whether we can find uniforms and' equipment or not. 1 want this meeting to consider that message seriously; it is not delivered without due consideration of all it means. 1 know there will he difficulties in the way in regard to equipment, but 1 say to every man who hoars or reads that message it " ot . f ? r .von to worry about thoso difficulties: the difficulties are for the Government and Parliament to surmount. It is for the men of -Australia to come forward and offer their services. "Remember that, the stake forwhich this war being waged is this Commonwealth of <.urs. Remember that your liberty, your right of nationhood, and all the privileges which you enjoy to-day, are at stake in this great war. When I look at the population of Australia I feel that we can do very much more than we have done. This meeting is to awaken the interest and arouse the enthusiasm of young Australians to emulate the deeds of their comrades of Gallipoli. I am confident that the awakening of that enthusiasm with a realisation of the issue Australia can double the number of men in the field." In these words Senator Pearce, the Commonwealth .Minister of Defence, addressed a recruiting meeting held in the Town Hall, Melbourne, on Monday of last week. His announcement made a great impression throughout Australia, and in the Federal Parliament next day members eagerly sought further information. Iu the House of Representatives, Mr. Greene (N.S.W.), referring to the statement made by Senator Pcarce, that word had been received from the Imperial auhorities that every man was wanted, whether with uniform or without; asked when that word had been received. The Prime Minister (Mr. Fisher): Within 48 hours of the announcement. Mr. Cook: Does it mean that the Imperial authorities are now willing to take men without equipment? Mr. Fisher: Yes, that is the way I take it. Later in the sitting Mr. Cook, Leader of the Opposition, asked the Prime Minister, Mr. Fisher, if he had been rightly understood in saving, earlier in the day, that Great Britain was now prepared, to take men without equipment.

Mr. Fisher replied that a cable message had been received on Friday or Saturday, stating-that fact for the first time, after many...inquiries. Australia had been able to" equip the men offering fairly well up till now, but now the Imperial authorities were prepared to accept every man who could be trained. "Wo shall continue to do our best to clothe tliem," said Mr. F'sher, "but the Imperial authorities will take them whether we can or not."

Mr. l'age: Why not sound the drum and get them to roll up? Tram them all over Australia, not only in these camps. Mr. Cook: I think they will roll up now. (Hear, hear.) Mr Fisher: Tlie tocsin has been sounded ill every city and in every_ town of Australia, "and every man who is fit and free will be trained and accepted for service. Those who are not fit will be able to train and, make themselves fit. Mr. Parker Moloney: Surely falso teeth are not going to biock a man now. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Fisher said that care would still have to be taken in the selection of the men. Two fit men were better than five men three of whom were unfit. The quality of the men determined the value of the force. Mr. Fleming (N.S.W.) protested against men being rejected because of minor defects. Many men with false teeth were among the hardiest and most enduring in the community. Mr. Wise declared that men who had lived in the bush all their lives, on "hard tack" and were prepared to "eat tins," had been turned down by the examiner because they lacked a few back debate on the subject then closed.