DEMOBILISATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 8 January 1944, Page 3

DEMOBILISATION

WHO SHALL BE FIRST BRITISH “POINTS” SYSTEM j Captain Quintin Hogg. British M.P., iin an interviewwith “Star” Reporter | Ernest Kay, gave a detailed explanation [of the "points” plan for demobilisation ! put forward by the Conservative Subcommittee on Demobilisation and Resettlement. He was one of the seven members of the Committee. So far, said Captain Hogg, the Government have expressed their views on demobilisation on only two occasions. | The first was by Sir William Jowitt. who took the line of age and length of I service; the other was Mr Bevin's “First in. first out” pronouncement. Our plan , the result of two years’ hard work, is the mathematical answer to most of the problems which will undoubtedly arise. We take into account a number of factors, so far apparently ignored by the Government—such as whether a man is married or not. and whether he has served for four years in a theatre of war. Under the new plan. Captain Hogg explained, every possible factor would have a number of "points.” For instance, a man would be awarded so many points if he was married, with an extra allocation for each child. Overseas service would have a high pointage, and so would the fact that a single man intended to marry when he returned to civilian life. The pointage would make it possible for a single man who has served in the desert, or Burma or Iceland for five years, to have demobilisation priority over a married man with two or even three children whose service has mainly been at home. Many unmarried soldiers are waiting until they are freed from service so that they can marry and have families, said Captain Hogg. They maintain, and rightly so, that they have served their country during the best marriage years—from 24 to 30—and that if they wait any longer they will be left on the shelf. Captain Hogg gave me these two examples of how points might be awarded to a married and a single man:— JOHN SMITH (aged 28) : Married say (10 points); three children (five points each); age pointage at one for each year over 25 (three points); three years’ home service at five points a year (15 points). Total: 43 points. HARRY JONES (aged 32), unmarried. Four years’ overseas service at 15 points a year; one year home service at five; age pointage seven. Total: 72 points. In addition, there would be points for individual circumstances. But the mere fact that a man had a job waiting for him would not necessarily give him priority over the “lone wolf” who wanted to open a shop of his own or go into business on his own account—or do nothing.