§ Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWasked whether any decision has been arrived at with regard to the provision of uniform and some small pay as a retaining fee to the Veteran Reserve?
§ Colonel SEELYIt has been decided not to provide uniform for the Veteran Reserve. As no liability is involved by registration in the Veteran Reserve the question of a retaining fee does not arise.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in time of war a man without uniform is liable to be shot?
§ Colonel SEELYI do mot think that is quite a correct statement of the law.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWMay I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Franco-Ger man War?
§ Colonel SEELYWell, first of all, things have moved since then; and even so, the parallel is not exact. The question whether a man is or is not entitled to take up arms is not so easily settled as the hon. and gallant Gentleman thinks.
§ Colonel SEELYI should not like to answer offhand all these technical questions, but it is undoubtedly not necessary that a man should be fully equipped with recognised uniform in order to take up arms for his country. Certain distinctive badges and other qualifications are recognised.