The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-24
FORCED SERVICE
AROUSES BRITISH
Government Says Question
Demands Calmness Against
Heated Discussion.
100000 VOLUNTEER
Consumption Champions Argue Army
Needs 100000 Men-Aim Attacks
at "Shirkers" and "Slackers."

SPECIAL Cable to The Washington Herald.
London. Oct. Transcription or no
transcription continues to be the great
question here. as indeed all over Eng
land, and the discussion is rapidly as
suming a very heated and bitter form.
In vain the government has begged
the leaders Of the opposing camps to
consider the fact that a question OF
such enormous Importance must be
settled by calmly celebrating all de-
tails for and against. In vain it has
argued that no elaboration is possible
in an atmosphere charged with Bit
terness and personal attacks.
The kernel OF the whole question
is. Of course: VIII il be possible TO
achieve better results through general
CONSUMPTION. than have been reached
by calling for volunteers? This is
mere question of figures. which are
available to any intelligent person
who cared to look into the facts.
The number of men who since the
beginning of the war have volun-
teered for military service abroad
surpssses three millions. A month or
so ago the weekly average of volun-
teers was very much higher. In any
one day in September. 1914. no less
J
recruiting department was swamped
and in order to stem the tide they
raised the required height two inches.
n mistake which a high war office
official assures me was almost enough
to kill the whole movement.
The number of volunteers decreased
daily because tho Impression spread
that the necessary number OF soldiers
had enlisted. Tn" unhappy results
Of this mistake mora than 10
up for. first. by new urgent appeals
for men. and. second. because the
Germans committed the blunder of
BON harding open towns on England's
coast.
The medical examination here being
very severe. it H. not too much to esti-
mate the numb OF volunteers rejected
as UNIT for military service at 1000.
900 men. This means then that of the
total male population Of Great Britain
between the ages Of Is and 30 years.
10000 have volunteered for war ser
vice. but TO this figure must he added
at least 100000 men employed in mu-
milton and gun factories and other
establishments supplying the needs of
the army and navy. Then il must also
be remembered that more than $4,000
men were already serving the navy.
While it is not possible to arrive at
the exact number Of men. il may be
said that more than 100000 are oc-
CupiPd in actual war work. serving
with the colors at the front or at home
and working in arm and munition fac
tories. 1t should then also be remem-
bored that in this number is included
neither the Indian nor the Colonial
contingents
The partisans Of compulsory service
say that. according to the census of
1911, there are in the country 100000
men between IS and IS. Figuring that
100000 men among these would be
needed in arm and mUnition factories.
railway service and semi-military es-
ia blishments there would still be
100000 men available for active SER
vice in army and navy on the basis Of
conscription
The voluntary system. as seen above.
has given 100000 men now in active
service. while new recruits are enlist
This appears to prove that we are not
champions Of CONSUMPTION figure on be-
ing able to raise with compulsory
service.
The believers in cOnscription do not
deny that the voluntary system has
given excellent results, but they insist
that nothing but compulsion will make
thousands Of "Shirkers" and slack
ers" join the Colors. They also insist
that the voluntary system is draining
the country Of all its best men. FOR
those who enlist are men who possess
courage. cnthU 7Iasm. initiative. and in
telliEence. while all the loafers, the
cyclists, and the Indifferent ones stay
at home.