NOT DRAINED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 3, 3 July 1943, Page 6

NOT DRAINED

MAN^PQWER RESOURCES

I AGE GROUPS

v'Wuld; be ■ entirely^ incorrect\ to iinafiirte- that, rbecause i the calling■ up loi-'men fhas1 now' been- completed (ex*e%>t :i forv the periodic calling up. of the $>fflow, at'the youngest, age),.thp'cou'n-it^y.'^CS'.-bepn -drained of all, its. resources; of •■ irian-pcwer. within the militf&ry ■ages, i Far: from • it," v states the '^npiual report^ of the National Service • ' ..!:..;. ; ■. "v '•.: "**|"Each'. ballot: which has been^gazet--4|d-'Has.'merely brought :a .-■further J"K)dy.-oi, men before, medical- boards 'sfed'appeal -boards; so that only, those 2v|h6 are1 fit 'and available at the time tale 'actually .posted to camp*. As .the Jfrallbts. have proceeded into the : older »and more--responsible classes 'of men. >a[/greater ■ and proportion lias vflowed: into the classes of (1) ••■■' unfit ?men called by ballot, and (2); fit men ■postponed.from service. From 400,000 •tnen .who were ;of military age when "tlae .war started, or have since attained, that: age, 160,000 have been',with-di-awii,; but'24o,ooo remain." ■ i , The report explains that ■ the ■■, progressive -reductijOn which has ;been %und .to '..%■ occur in the proportion found vfit is not' necessarily a disadvantage to .the war effort. as a Whole. Its real significance, the report says, is that, an increasing proportion of the men called for service passed ; to man-power-officers for direction whejre njecessary. into essential work, instead of.tto area staff officers for posting ,-*to camp., liais important fact, it is stated, has often been lost, sight of »in discufisions ;■ regarding' the effects- on indusixyvpf• holding ballots.. v ■• • 'jA'tdble shows' that at March: ; 3li last a, grand total of 41.270 grade' I 'vn^n aged' 20 to 40 inclusive had had.-their calling up postponed lor were '. re-leased,-from ser/vice with the ; armed forces.,«following appeal board Taption and;were ,engaged m industry. : 'JTse \ report: is.-- almost; comprehensive one running "into 60 pages, and.it deals with the evolution,, pi*eseht orgatiisation, and. work of all sections of the department since.'the outbreak of war.