BRITISH MAN POWER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4768, 16 January 1918, Page 5

BRITISH MAN POWER.

THE GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS.

ANOTHER 400,000 MEN WANTED FOR ARMY.

SIMILAR NUMBER FOR WORK AT HOME.

EMPHIE’S PROUD RECORD

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association

(Received Jan. 15, 11.35 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 14. In introducing the Government’s Man-Power Bill in the House of Commons, the Director of Recruiting, Sir Auckland Geddes, said man-power was the central war problem and the most urgent need at the present was men for -the army. The position of Britain was that the Allies had laid the heaviest burden on Britain until America was ready. The Allies were still substantially superior to the enemy without regard to Russia and Roumania, but the Russian withdrawal would release 1,600,000 of the enemy for the West front. The Empire hitherto had raised seven and. alialf million troops. England had contributed 4,530,000, Scotland 620,000, Wales 230,000, Ireland 170,000, and the Dominions and colonies 900,000. The army immediately needed another 420,000 to 450,000. It was untrue that the British army afield was dwindling; it was still stronger than ever, but it was necessary to J look ahead and provide for rearward service.

He pointed out that the problem could not he solved dramatically. The Bill empowered the Director-General to withdraw occupational exemptionApart from the’ Army’s needs, the labor-employing departments required a further 430,000 men and 119,000 Women. Already 815,000 women workers were munitions-eniployed.

Reuter’s Telegrams. LONDON, Jan. 14. In the House of Commons, Sir Auckland Geddes announced that the Government had decided that for the present the military age should he neither lowered no raised. Compulsion would not he introduced in Ireland, hut the Government would not hesitate to adopt any or all of these measures if military needs were not met otherwise. ;