The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-15
BRITAIN MUST RAISE
 450,000 ADDITIONAL
 TROOPS AT ONCE
(Continued from Page One)

nothing but psychological catas- strophe can save the central powers.
 Every day the hitting force of Bri- tain becomes of greater importance to the alliance. Russia no longer strikes for freedom; France has poured forth her strength in the struggle and can- not sustain the full burden indefinitely; America is not yet in the field and months must elapse before she can advance with full stride; Italy has suf- fered grave misfortunes.
 "On Britain and on the skill with which she handles her manpower in the months to come everything de- bends.
 At sea we must be supreme; in tho air we must win supremacy and on land we must do the best we can to fill the gap Russia has made until America can take her place. And all the time we have to keep our vital industries going
 While the enemy possessed the ad- vantage of an interior position, with a good railway system, continued the minister, they possessed no corre- spending advantage in stability and , solidarity of public opinion. AGE QUESTION Discussing the age question he said that the Germans were using boys of IS on the Russian front and that Aus tria has raised the limit to 55 years. Analyzing the enemys strength he de- clared that the Germans would be able to withdraw 950000 men from the eastern front, and the Austrians would l be able to release enough to make the total 1,600,000
 1 Sir Auckland assured the House that the entente allies at the present time in
 numbers and morale were on equal tern1s With the forces of the enemy at pres cut opposed to them, and with the nec- essary achievements. which would be | found during the year. could face any additional forces which the enemy 1 could bring.
 1 When the full force of America came
 into play, superiority would be es- tablished which would be the sure her. aid Of complete and final victory. NAVAL PERSONAL Ire naval personnel, said the minister, r., 1 had expanded during the war from 15o, ,ooa
 to 100000, The army today had more
 than 100000 men on the rolls. The com
 bined air service had increased from
 c0G0 to l25,O0O.
 l The total enrolment in the armed
 forces had been 100000 England had
 contributed 4,530, 900; Scotland, 620,000 i; l Wales 2S0,O00; Ireland 17O000: the domin- 1 ions and colonies, 900000. The remaining I l,VWUo composed of native fighting
 troops, labor corps, carriers and similar
 workers were from India, Africa and
 other dependencies
 The minister declared that it would De necessary to raise in this country at
 once from 4lO,00O to 450,000 men from civi, life as an absolute minimum. More might be necessary during the coming
 year. He added that tho government had decided not to introduce conscription in
 ireland for the present, nor change the
 military age limit in Great Britain and l the colonies.
 | The government could not give prefer
 ential treatment to any organization.
 Many young men in essential industries,
 he said. had acted as if they held a
 privileged position. They must share the
 burden with the other and be replaced I by older men.
 | Sir Auckland praised the spirit shown oy the labor leaoers in the negotiations With the government. Efforts were being
 made by pacifists to stir up strife in muntior factor,es