The Territorial Army
It was perhaps symbolic of the traditional Cinderella status of thl'Territorial Army that it was accorded only the rump of Monday's House of Commons debate after the question of the currency losses in Germany had stolen such limelight as our rationed newsprint allows. Nevertheless, in some respects the occasion marked a step forward in the long and disinterested struggle of the Territorial Army for status real as well as nominal, not least because there was
no obstruction of the efforts of the Territorial Army and no ques- tioning of the good intentions and civic propriety of those who join it. All this was to the good, as was the announcement made by Mr. Bellenger, on behalf of the Prime Minister, in regard to time spent in annual training at Territorial camps. If it can be so devised that men do not lose anything of their annual holiday by reason of attending annual camps, one of the main obstructions to pre-war recruiting for the T.A. will have been overcome. The other two chief obstacles were the inadequacy of equipment and the effect of widespread and persistent denigration of the principle of voluntary preparedness. The first of these two obstacles is primarily for the Government to overcome. The position in the public mind, on the other hand, of voluntary preparedness in general, and of the Territorial Army in particular, is one in which the Govern- im,ment can give a lead, but in which the public have at least an equal obligation. Men will join the Territorial Army if it is obviously a going concern, high in public repute. If it is ever allowed to resume the Cinderella status of pre-war years it will have to rely once more on the enthusiastic few.
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