LORD DERBY'S FULL REPORT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2693, 12 February 1916, Page 5

LORD DERBY'S FULL REPORT

♦ NEARLY THREE MILLION MEN COME FORWARD i OVER A MILLION IN THE LAST FOUR DAYS' RUSH

\ The following is tho full report furnished to the Imperial Government by Lord Derby, Director-General of the great recruiting campaign, and subsequently published as a Parliamentary White Paper

I. (12th December, 1915.) I propose to divide my report ink two parts. The first part describes . the action taken with regard to tile canvass q( unst-arred men, and the seconc part gives the results in figures with in) own deductions therefrom. To the first part I am glad to say 1 have secured the unanimous assent oi my colleagues on the Joint Committee, formed of the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee and Joint Labour Recruiting Committee, which I will hereafter call the . Central Committee. The deductions made from the figures and given in tfle second part of the report are given on my own responsibility. The Pink Form. I took up office as Director-General of Recruiting <it Lord Kitchener's request on Monday, October 11. On that day 1 met tlio Central Committee, and laid before them a proposal that what was known as the "Pink l'"orm" canvassing should be done through Local.Parliamentary Committees. They accepted my proposal, and undertook to see the work done. This will be an appropriate opportunity of expressing my most sinccrc thanks to the Central Committee and to the Parliamentary Recruiting Committees throughout the country. The) have given me the most loyal and wholehearted support, and without their assistance I am convinced the canvass would have been an entire failure. 1 would also beg to thank the Military Authorities both in the War Office and throughout the country. The burden of work of a novel and exacting type that has fallen upon them has been met with a very evident desire to dc everything possible to make the voluntary system a success. I would especially thank Colonel GosBet, D.A.A.G., who by his foresight lias made the canvass, comparatively easy, and by his tact in dealing with; difficult Questions as they arose nas materfellj lightened the task which was set before the Central Committee and mysel{, Unjust Criticisms. I am quite aware that criticisms will be levelled at the inadequacy of the arrangements. of recruiting offices fol dealing with the abnormal flow of recruits during the present week. Such criticisms are most unjust. The impossibility of obtaining sufficient medical ufficers and experienced clerks has been tho cause of the delay. This delay would have been obviated if there had been, during the past sis weeks, when the scheme has been before the public, a steady flow of recruits instead of the abnormal rush at the eleventh hour. On December 16 I laid before the Central Committee the scheme for enlisting men in groups. The Commit tee was good enough to approve of it, I need not go into any description of it, but it has formed the -basis on whicl the whole of the present recruiting scheme has been worked and adoptee as being the best way of getting mei for the Army with the minimum amount of inconvenience to industry. At subsequent meetings it was decided to form local tribunals, which have now been set up by the Local Government Board, and Advisory Committees, which are in process of being 6et up b) tile Local Parliamentary Committees, the latter to advise the War Office representative as to what action he should take before the Local Tribunal in cases of appeal. 5 Delay In the Canvass, Canvass commenced in each locality as the cards were ready for issue, Through nobody's fault, in some areas there was, I regret to say, a delay ir their issue. It arose from the fact thai thero had to be a redistribution, as the system adopted by the Central Committee was not the same as that whicl had been previously proposed by the military authorities. It was originally intended that the campaign'should come to a conclusioi: on November 30, but it was subsequently decided, so as to avoid breaking iutc the week, to extend it to December 4, and for the purpose of giving mo time to write my report further to extend the time for enlistment, both directly and in groups, to December 11. Whilst gross numbers are available up to December 11, I regret to say details as to groups are only forthcoming up to November 30. Unreliable Starring. Many difficulties have been met with, but the chief difficulty has been the unreliability of the starring as distuiguishing between those who should and those who should not be taken for the Army. Instead of starring being of assistance, it has been a distinct hindrance to the canvass. More especially is this so in f ural areas, owing to the fact that it was 'known before Registration Day what branches of the agricultural industry would bo starred, with tlw result that many men who had no right to do so claimed to come under ttieso particular headings. The senso of unfairness thus created and tlie inequality of treatment of farmers has been most detrimental in these, areas, llie farmer himself is not a starred n an, but there are numberless cases of his sons and labourers being starred as cowmen and horsemen, oto., though in many instances it is known that they are not really so engaged. It is essential that the starred! list | should bo carefully investigated, and in oases of misdescription the star removed and the man made available for milvtarj' | SGrvicG. This applies to wi© staned men in all industries. The issue, during the process or canvass, of lists of trades which wore to be cousielered "reserved occupations lias also proved an obstacle. I recogmso that it was essential that such lists should be issueel, but tho fact remains that trades other than those mentioned in these lists have been applying to be so included, and the men engaged 111 tlieso trades are expecting to be treated in tho same way as "starred men, and have been deterred .from coming I forward. ... , I Many men also who would wilimgij I-servo find themselves debarred from doing so by domestic, financial, anel business obligations. This especially applies to professional and commercial men who fintl difficulties in meeting such obligations as payment of rent, insurance promium, interest on loans ! connected with their business, and provision for thoir family, duo to tho fact that their income is entirely dependent on their individual efforts, and ceases when they join tho colours—separation and dependents' allowances being quite inadequate in such cases to meet these obligations. This applies not only to married men, but also to single men m many WOB, , , , . Another obstacle to recruitofi has

been the Unequal treatment of individuals. Parents and relations especially camiot •understand why their sons, husbands, or brothers should join while other young men hold back and secure lucrative employment at home. Distrust of Tribunals. Apart from the number of men who have actually enlisted and attested, there aro many who have promised to enlist when* "so and so" has also promised to go. There may, of course, be a number of men who make this answer as an ejjouse. But that it is genuine in a very iarge number of cases, and is accentuated by bad starring, there is no 'reason to doubt. Further, the system of submitting cases to tribunals ta decide is a novel one, and is viewed with_ some "distrust, partly from the publicity which may bo given in private affairs, and partly to a fear, which personally I _do rot share, that cases will not be fairly acd impartially dealt with. • The canvass shows very distinctly that it is not want of courage that is keeping men .back, nor is there the slightest sign but that the country as a whole is as determined to support the Pimo Minister in his pledge made at the Guildhall on November 9, 1914, as it was when that pledge was made. There is abundant evidence of a'determination to see the war through to a successful conclusion. DERBY. December 12, 1915. 11. (Dec. 12, 1915). This report, Lord Derby explains, is not given, as it was rendered valueless by the influx of recruits during the last few days before December 11. In consequence he substitutes the following: 111. (Dec. 20, 1915); ! I have only taken the figures as between October 23, 1915,- and December 15, 1915, tho period when canvassing for the group system was being carried out. The gross figures are as follow:—

Large as are the figures, ! am afraid that oil analysis they do not prove as satisfactory as I could 'have wished. Owing to the great rush of recruits it was in mauy oases to have more than a most perfunctory medical examination, and the number of- men who will lie rejected when tho various groups are called up and are subject to a proper examination miisS be very largo, the number of men actually unexamined being 925,445. This total includes both "starred" and "unstarred" men. For the same reason—the great rush of recruits—l fear there may be many instances where men have not been noted as being "starred,' 1 "badged,"_ •01 belonging to "reserved" occupations, and a deduction must be made on this account. Lastly, there are many who will come under tho heading of being indispensable, men wlio are , tho only sons of widows, sold support of a family, etc. My calculations for these necessary deductions have been sulmitted to Dr. 'I' H. C. Stevenson, Superintendent of Statistics at the General Register Office, and tlie following tables are now presented in accordance with his recommendatons. Tho percentages of deductions are my own. They must of necessity be only estimates, but they liavc been arrived at upon the best information available. Single Men Attested. Total number of single' _ - men attested 840,000 Of these the number starred was di£,wt The number of unstarred sinde men attested was therefore 527,933 i'or final rejection as medically unfit a number of unstarred men have not been oxamined, say .... *260,000 Balance 267,933 Deduct 10 per cent. "badged" and "reserved" *26,793 Balance 241,140 Deduct 10 per cent."indispensable" ... As shown above it is estimated that of fhe unstarred single men attested those not examined as to medical fitness.numbered *260,000 Deduct 10 per cent. "badged" and "reserved *26,000 Balance 234,000 Deduct 10 per cent. "indispensable" ... *23,400 Balance 210,600 Deduct 40 per cent. unfit *84,240 126,36 Intimated net number available of single men attested 343,38 Marriod Men Attested. Total number of marlied men attested... 1,844,979 Of those the number starred was 449,808 The number of unstarred married men attested was therel farQ

?or final rejection, as medically unfit, a j number of unstarred j men have not teen examined, say *445,000 Balance . ... 450,171 Deduct 15 per cent. badged and reserved *67,526 Balance ... 382,645 Deduct 20 per cent. "indispensable" ... *76,529 j . _ : 306,116 is shown above it is estimated tliat of tlie unstarred mar- • lied men attested those not examined as to medical fitness . numbered *445,000 I Deduct 15 per cent. badged and reserved *66,750 . Balance ... 378,250 Deduct 20 per cent. •"indispensable" ... *75,650 Balance ... 302,600 Deduct 40 per cent. : unfit *121,040 181,58* Estimated net number available of married men attested 487,676 - 1 The figures marked * are estimates only. " _ (There aro probably more married men * than single men who _ are in reserved occupations, and certainly amongst the indispensable class. I have increased considerably the percentage of deductions in both these cases.) ! Premier's Pledge. But, as in the former report, 1 must again draw attention to the fact that ! the men in the married groups can only ; be assumed to be available if the Prime Minister's pledgo io them has been redeemed by tho siuglo men attesting in such numbers as to leave only a negligible quantity unaccounted for. On comparing the .above figures it will j ho seen that of the 2,179,231 single men , available, only 1,150,000 have been accounted for, leaving a residue unaccounted for of 1,029,231. > j Deducting the number of starred men j who have attested 1 , 312,067, from total number of starred single men, 690,135, loaves 378,071 starred men. If wo deduct this figure from 1,029,- j 231 (the remainder of single men who have not offered it shows j a total of 651,160 unstarred single men j unaccounted for. This is far from being a negligible ; quantity, and, under the circumstances,. lam very distinctly of opinion that in i order to redeem the pledgo mentioned above it will not he possible to hold j married men to thoir attestation unless 1 and until the services of single men have been obtained by other means, the present system having failed to bring j them to the colours. A New Suggestion. j I have been at some pains to ascertain the feeling of the country, and lam ; convinced' that not only, must faith be

Ootober 23 to Deoemhar 15, 1915 (Inclusive). ' Single. Married. Men of military age (a) 2,179,231 2,332,210 Number starred 690,138 915,491 Number of men enlisted (b) 103,000 112,431 ' Number of men attested (c) 840,000 1,344,9/9 Number of men rejected (b) 207,000 221,853 Total 1,150,000 1,679,263 i Men of military age 2,179,231 2,832,210 Presenting themselves 1,130,000 1,6(9,263 . Number remaining 1,029,231 1,152,947 Total starred men attested 312,067 449,808 Number uustarred attested 527,933 _ 890,171 (a) Men who joined His Majesty's Army'between August 10, 1915, and October 23, 1915, are excluded from these figures. ... I (b) Whilst total is based on actual records, the distribution as between single and married is only an estimate, but may bo taken as substantially, accurate. . (c) Actual records. Grand total of military age 5,011,441 Total attested, enlisted, and rejected 2,829,263 Total number remaining i 2,182,178

kept with the married men in siccordanca with the Prime Minister's pledge, but more than that; in my opinion some steps must he taken to replace as far as possible the single men now starred, ■ or engaged in reserved occupations, by f older and married men, even if these men have to a certain extent .to be drawn from the ranks of those already serving. Especially does I 'his apply to tliose who have joined theso occupations since the date of the Royal Assent to the National Registration Act. _ This ■ applies, though naturally in a minor degree, to munition workers. , ... Thera is another point to which I would most earnestly ask the Government to give consideration. I have already drawn attention in my previous report to the detrimental effect- that thr issuo from time to time of lists of "reserved" occupations lias had on recruit-' ing. Even 6inco that report was writ- j ten further and lengthy lists have been: .' issued. Ido not presume to state what are or are not industries indis- j pensable to. this country, but if there is \ to be any further reservation of occupa- , tions it is quite clear tliiit' the figures I . have given above roust be subject to & and I cannot help hoping that there should be some finality to the : issue of these lists. _ ~, , . Before concluding, it might be interesting to give one or two features of' ; the campaign. Tho figures given above refer onlv to recruits received between - Octobcr 23 and December 15. but as I ; have been in my present offico since October 11 I ; include recruits ; for immediate enlistment from that. date to Sunday, December 19, inclusive, and' I also include belated returns of men (6I.60I) taken in the group system. It has not, Ilow- ; o\er been possible to allot these latter accurately as between single tr mar- .: ried; the majority appear to be men m starred occupations. Dunne; that time, there have been taken for tho Army as j follows . o**c nnll Immediate enlistment i'o.Odl. ; Attestation in groups A*io.wu A gross total of 2,521,661 The Final Rush. Some of the figures of the take of recruits under flic group system for particular days may also be of interest:-' On Friday, December 10, wo ; took 193 -° 27 On Saturday, December 11, wo . took 336 ' 075 On Sunday, December 12, we took ■■••• 3_0,-Ou On Monday, December 13. wo took 215 - 618 Or a total in the 4 days of 1.070,478 In order, however, to get at tho number of men who have offered themselves, it is necessary to add to the n j )o \ 9 i figures those who have been definitely , rejected on medical grounds, viz.. ; 428,853. This s1io;;-s that a total, or 2,950,514 men have shown their willingness to serve their country, provided they'were able to be spared from , their employment and could bo acccpted as medically suitable. There will be additions to mako ttf" these numbers, slight, but verv significant. In foreign towns, where tlicra are English men hav« banded themselves together to come under the group system. Men have writton from Hong-Kong. Rhodesia. Cadiz, California, offoring to come home to ha attested for Army Reserve (Section B). ! DERBY.