BRITISH ARMY SHORTAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20612, 29 December 1936, Page 7

BRITISH ARMY SHORTAGE

RELIEF OF GARRISONS AFFECTED HINT OF COMING OF CONSCRIPTION United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 27. The “Sunday Despatch” says that owing to lack of army recruits, the establishment in spring will probably be 12,000 below strength. The Army Council has notified the Government that it will be impassible to provide reliefs for overseas garrisons in September, 1937, unless a great improvement occurs. A hint that conscription may be unavoidable was contained in an article by the Secretary of War (Mr A. Duff Cooper), published in the periodical “Home and Empire,” in which he emphasised that the enlistment of only 5 per cent, of Britain’s able-bodied men is required to solve the recruiting problem. “The voluntary system must justify itself in face of the challenge from conscript nations,” the Minister said. “I cannot over-strongly emphasise that the system is on trial. Recruiting is so unsatisfactory that it will break down unless there is a large and immediate improvement.”