§ 12. Sir ARTHUR MARKHAMasked the Under-Secretary for War, whether, seeing that under the present system of voluntary enlistment numbers of boys are being recruited, he will say why no steps have been taken by Lord Kitchener to see that the regulations that the Government has laid down as to age limits are adhered to; whether the facts, well known to the public, as to these false declarations of age are also known to the War Office; and whether confidential instructions have been given by the military authorities that the regulations as to the age limit are to be ignored?
§ Mr. TENNANTFurther instructions of a precise character were issued to all General Officers Commanding-in-Chief in June last, and my hon. Friend is mistaken in suggesting that these instructions have been ignored by the military authorities responsible. Since these instructions were issued, no cases of under-age enlistment have come to the notice of the War Office, but if my hon. Friend knows of any and will furnish particulars, inquiry will, of course, be made.
§ Mr. SNOWDENCan the right hon. Gentleman say when the instructions to which he refers were issued?
§ Mr. TENNANTThere have been many such instructions, and the last was of quite recent date—last week, I believe.
§ Mr. SNOWDENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the last two weeks I have brought to his notice several such cases of enlistment?
§ Mr. TENNANTI did not hear what the hon. Gentleman asked.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in my Constituency a boy of fifteen was enlisted only last week? I will send in the name.
§ Mr. TENNANTI believe I am dealing with that case in reply to a subsequent question.
§ 13 and 15. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Under-Secretary for War (1) whether his attention has been drawn to a recruiting meeting recently held in Mansfield where speakers threatened to boycott tradesmen who they alleged had refused permission to their sons to enlist; whether he is aware that this kind of intimidation has been practised at other meetings; whether he will, on behalf of Lord Kitchener, make a declaration condemning such practices as being entirely contrary to the spirit of voluntary enlistment and the policy laid down by the Prime Minister thereon; and (2) whether he has any information that a youth of fifteen years of age from New Annesley, in the Mansfield Division of Nottinghamshire, has constantly been accosted and insulted by recruiting sergeants in Nottingham, who informed him that he was a rotter and a slacker, and that he was not telling the truth when he told them his age was fifteen; and whether he will give instructions to the recruiting sergeants in Nottingham to desist from insulting and intimidating persons living in the Mansfield Division?
§ Mr. TENNANTMy hon. Friend has been good enough to furnish me with additional particulars regarding the matters dealt with in these questions, and I have instituted an inquiry which is in progress. I am not in a position to-day to I give an answer, and I will ask my hon. I Friend to be good enough to postpone both questions for a few days.
§ Mr. YEOWill the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the detriment to recruiting now being caused by unscrupulous landlords by raising the rents of their houses, and thus preventing men joining the Army?
§ Mr. TENNANTI should like to have a definite case before me.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSAnd I should like to supply the right hon. Gentleman with some.
§ 14. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Under-Secretary for War why John William Flint, No. 19,370, D Company, of the 11th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, of East Kirkby, Mansfield, has not been discharged from the Army, seeing that within a few days of the time this boy enlisted the father and mother went to Derby barracks taking the birth certificate of their son, which showed that this boy was only sixteen years of age, and asking for his discharge; and will he say whether it is the policy of the War Office to refuse to discharge boys of sixteen years of age who have entered the Army by making a false declaration of their age unknown to their parents?
§ Mr. TENNANTInquiries were instituted into this case and it appeared that Private Flint should have been discharged in November, 1914, when his father first made application. At the date when my hon. Friend brought this case to notice, namely, in August last, Flint was serving Overseas, and instructions were sent explaining the case and asking that Flint should be sent home for discharge, if there were no good grounds to the contrary. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. BOOTHMay I ask the Prime Minister whether in the course of the Government statement this week any 1176 reference will be made to the position of recruiting, in view of the urgent campaign that has been going on? Can the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister give the House the same confidential information which was given to a small group of Members, which included the hon. Member for Leicester?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)I would like to have notice of that question. I do not think that I shall be able to make a statement this week.
§ 50. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Canadian Government refuse to allow any married man to join the Canadian continget without the written consent of his wife is first obtained, and that no young man under age is allowed to enlist without the written consent of his parents; whether the Cabinet are aware that many boys under the prescribed age laid down by the Regulations have been enlisted by the War Office, who have deliberately connived at this breach of their own Regulations; whether the Cabinet have sanctioned the action of the War Office; whether he will follow the example set by Canada that boys under the prescribed age should obtain the written consent of their parents before they are enlisted; and whether he is aware that a boy of sixteen from East Kirkby, Mansfield, has been kept in the Army and sent to the front despite the protests of his parents to the War Office?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe War Office has no knowledge of the policy of the Canadian Government as regards the enlistment of married men and men under age in their contingents. In this country no boys under the prescribed age, as laid down by Regulations, have been enlisted with the knowledge of the War Office, and I regret the imputation of deliberate connivance, which is wholly unfounded. Boys under that age are not wanted, either with or without the consent of their parents. The last part of the question refers, I think, to the case of John Flint, about which I have already given an answer to-day.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMDoes my right hon. Friend seriously tell the House that the Government and the War Office do not know that boys under the prescribed age have been enlisted from the time of the outbreak of the War onwards? Does not the War Office know that? Does it know anything?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have stated in answer to a previous question that it is the deliberate policy of the War Office only to take those who are of proper age. If boys under the proper age have been enlisted it is their fault for having made a false declaration. May I ask my hon. Friend if he will abstain from founding general charges upon individual cases?
§ Sir A. MARKHAMDoes the right hon. Gentleman speak for the Government that under the voluntary system of enlistment boys of fifteen, who are at present in hospitals in this country wounded, have been sent to the front and the War Office knows nothing about it? Has he taken steps to see that the patriotism of these boys has not been exploited?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member had better put that question on the Paper.
§ Mr. PRINGLECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether any attempt has been made to penalise those guilty of these practices?
§ Sir A. MARKHAMAnd who have received commissions.
§ Mr. TENNANTWhen a young man has been enlisted it is extremely difficult to find out which recruiting sergeant enlisted him. If specific cases are brought to my knowledge I will make inquiries.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMI will send you plenty.