AUSTRALIAN TROOPS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14642, 21 February 1918, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS.

WHOLESALE REJECTIONS IN

ENGLAND

In view of the urgent need of men for war service, the Defence antiquities hare taken steps to ascertain the reason for the return to 'Australia of so many soldiers who have never seen active service, but have been returned as unfit, shortly after their arrival iv iinglana.. The belief is held in some quarters that the A.I.F. authorities in England are. insisting upon a needlessly Jugh physical standard. "Whatever may be the cause (states tie Melbourne "Age"), it is an undoubted fact that hundreds or soldiers who have successfully passed a most exhaustive series of medical tests in Australia have been rejected for active service before they were many weeks m England. It is claimed by responsible officers- that these wholesale rejections have had the effect of so tightening up the medical standard apphea to recruits in Australia that men' who are really fit for service are beinoturned away." Yet, notwithstanding tins claim, men are still being sent back, from England. It is pretty obvious! that if the medical standard in Australia is unnecessarily severe, then the medical standard insisted upon by the A.I.F. authorities in Encrland is altogether absurd. On the other hand if I the standard in England is the correct one, then the Australian standard is really too low. As against T;his contention, however, there is the fact that men who have been rejected in Australia have gone to England at their own expense and have been accepted gladly by the British Army authorities for war service. ... .

Some explanation is demanded from the A.I.F. authorities in England, and it is understood that correspondence on the subject has already passed between Defence Headquarters in Australia and the Commandant A.1.F., iUngJand. A prominent Australian army medical officer, stated recently that it was essential that some action should be taken, as •the Australian Headquarters in England was sending back men apparently htter than the volunteers who were now being accepted in Australia.