The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-05-07
Allies.
Actuaities.

q
Aetualities.
nsese potential figures do not, OF
course, represent actualities. They
are maxima, and maxima altogether
superior to what will really be raised
save, perhaps, in one case-in the
full year. Let US proceed, then, as
the last stake in this analysis, to con-
slider the actualities to which these
potential" numbers shrink in their
turn.
Great Britain.
The three million maximum poten-
tial which we have set down for Eng
land is modified only by two consider
ations. The first is whether recruit
ment upon the present system will
give this number-which can certainly
in theory be attained. TIE second is
whether the existing army on the con-
tinent into which the new leVies must
be "digested" will be large enough,
when the time comes, to achieve u1at
process of absorption.
You do not pour new levies into a
field unsupported. 1t would be fatal.
You mix them with and embrigade
them witn-make them fight side by
side with-men who have already
formed themselves to war in action.
If we allow so long space as a
year for the process, and if We con-
slider both the quality of the material
and the intensive training to which it
mas been submitted, we may, | think
(short of unexpected disasters, be
easy as to this second consideration.
AS to the first consideration-t.at
is whether our present system of re-
cruitment will provide the full num-
Der or no-only the future will show.
More than half, but not two-thirds, OF
the task is already accomplished. We
have about another million to ind. To
accomplish this by compulsory sys-
tenn is a highly controversial proposal,
not suitable for discussion in these
columns
A Voluntary System.
But it is worth pointing out that
this country is the one and only bel
ligerent country in Europe which can
still manufacture freely, t5at its in
dustry is largely supplying the alli-
ance, and that voluntary system hts
in an exact and elastic manner the
demand for labor.
Under the alternative system OF COM
pulsion you would have to arrange
arbitrarily and mechanically what men
were to be drawn for service and what
were to be left behind for industry
let alone for shipbuilding and for com
munications, for mining and for agri-
culture. and for commerce, and for
seamansnip, mercantile and naval;
and you would probably get worse ma
terial, too.
At any rate, it is the peculiar con-
dition of tie English coeflcient, which
we have set at 8, that is a potential
quite able to become an actually. We
have no necessary reason to scale it
down.
There is another point about the
British contingent attached to this
last point, which is that all tie men
it concerns are so far (or much the
greater part) first class material. We
have no deductions to make for age,
ineficiency or civilian employment, for
volunteers are recruited, by definition
only between the ages where men are
best suited for the field, and only from
men who nave been passed the doctor
Let lis set down our English maxi
mum actual figure" then, at 3.
France.
The French potential coefflc1ent OF
is in a very different situation. 1t IS
"a situation necessarily imposed upon
every conscript nation, to-Wit, that
YOU must deduct from its potential
maximum all those who are not en-
cient for military service, and all those
who must be kept back for the abso-
1utely necessary civilian employment
connected with communications and
supply.
In point of fact, this French coefH-
cient of I s1rinks under such a test
to something little less than 4. The
inefhcients even among the young mer
in any nation are more than hftn
and it is with difficulty they can be
kept much below a quarter.