New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-03
Britain Has Recruited
100000 Men for War

London, May Fin the House OF
| Commons to-day Premier Asquith re-
viewed the whole question Of recruit
ing. and gave some figures showing what
the British Empire has done since the
outbreak of the war. He said the army,
which at the beginning of the war con-
sisted OF twenty-siX divisions. now
amounted 10 eighty-three, including the
naval division and the contributions
of the dominions. but excluding India.
To obtain 100000 men for the army
and navy, which had been done, in
volved a prodigious effort both at home
and throughout the empire. Recruiting
was still being maintained, with some
occasional lapses.
There were two limiting conditions,
the Premier continued, in the matter
Of recruiting which applied TO England
but not to the other belliGerents. name
ly. maintenance of supremacy on the
seas both by means of the navy and of
the mercantile marine. and the fnanc-
ing of the nations allies.
Minimizes kut Disaster.
He realized. he said, that the public
was naturally depressed by the de-
plorsble incident of the surrender Of
the garrison at kut-el -Amara, but urged
that IL was not an event of military
Importance. Referring TO the attacks
on the government in this and other
connections, he invited the House TO
turn TO speeches delivered during pre-
vious crises in the history of the
country. 1t would be found that
charges Of exactly the same nature had
been made. There had been the same
accusations of indecision, procrasti-
nation, hslf-heartedness and delay
and exactly the same cry for
savior or combination OF
saviors At one moment the people
we're told that the civilians in the Cab
inet-as quite wrongly in the case Of
Gallipoli-had overrruled their military
and naval experts. At another moment
as he believed they would be told in
regard TO Mesopotamia it was said the
civilians in the Cabinet were too sub
servient 70 their military advisers.
"My answer 10 all this Mr. Asquith
continued, sis that If there have been
mistakes or blunders, perhaps both,
in policy or strategy, our contribution
the contribution of the United King
dom and the empire 70 the common
cause-hss grown and is growing stead
ily, month by month. and is greater
at this moment and better directed
than ever before. And the naval and
military situation OF the AlNss mas
never been so good as IL is to-day
Whole Nation Converted.
The Premier claimed that the condi-
ton he had all along stipulated as the
only justification for consumption,
namely. general consent of the nation,
had now been obtained, as had been
proved by the speeches delivered IN
the House Of Commons last week, when
a bill, providing for the extension OF
military service, was introduced by
Walter Hume Long. president Of the
Local Government Board, and later
Withdrawn.
Mr.. Asquith added that the minis
ters agreed that the needful men
could not be obtained by the existing
machinery, but that they were avail
| able and could really be spared from
| the industries essential for the sue
cessful prosecution Of the war. lie
expressed confidence that the bill pro-
/ posed would still, once for all, the pro
| longed controversy, and challenged the
/ House 10 indicate II the government
| had lost the country's confidence.