The Growth of the Army
How much better is the present method of calling men to the colours group by group than that feverishly employed in the enrolment of Kitchener's Army in 1914. The Pro- clamation made by the King on Sunday called upon men in the 21-i2 age group to register under the National Service Act, and men in the 20-21 group who have reached the age of 20 since the Militia registration day in June. If the procedure of calling up appears to be slow, that obviously arises from the fact that (besides the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force) Reservists and Territorials, requiring addi- tional training, had first to be dealt with. A formidable Army is already in being, trained or completing its training. At a later stage it is probable that the rate at which groups will be called upon to register will be quickened ; it would be quite fruitless to be putting hundreds of thousands of additional men into khaki before there is adequate organisa- tion for handling them. When the later age-groups are reached there will be a larger proportion of married men and men with special responsibilities. Under the system of registration it would be possible to suspend the calling up of some of these until older men with fewer responsibilities have been summoned. That principle should be followed.
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