2 DECEMBER 1916, Page 3

The Lambeth Borough Council last week discussed a proposal that,

in view of the need of more men for the Army, the Council should make no more claims for their employees to be exempted. A copy of the resolution—which, however, was afterwards rejected— was sent to Sir William Robertson, who in the course of his acknow- ledgment said " There is no doubt whatever of our ability to win the war if only we really put our backs into it. We have not yet done this. We still do not recognize the issues at stake, nor the efforts that we ought to make and can make if we will but try. ' I have every confidence in my countrymen, but they are not yet fully awake.' "