§ Considered in Committee.
§ [Mr. WHITLEY in the Chair.]
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That an additional number of Land Forces, not exceeding 500,000 all ranks, be maintained for the service of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland at Home and Abroad, excluding His Majesty's Indian Possessions, in consequence of the War in Europe, for the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1915."
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)The House of Commons voted earlier in the Session, before any outbreak of War was anticipated, under normal conditions, under Vote A, 186,000 odd men for the Regular Army. It is perhaps not necessary to point out, but it may be convenient to put it on record, that the total men under Vote A does not include either the Army Reserve, the Special Reserve, or the Territorial Force. When we come to vote the financial provision under Vote 1 of the Army Estimates, which is consequential upon the passing of Vote A, we make provision not only for the 186,000 men already sanctioned for the Regular Army, but also for the Army Reserve. In the subsequent Votes 3 and 4 provision is made for the Special Reserve and the Territorial Force. The Army Reserve and the Special Reserve are not called upon to serve until, under the regular constitutional machinery consequent upon the outbreak or imminence of war, they are summoned to do so. It may be convenient to the Committee to know that at the time when War broke out, and when the Reserves were called to the Colours, the state of things was this: Parliament had voted 186,000 odd men—call it roughly 200,000—under Vote A, and the Army Reserve and the Special Reserve then became available as part of the Regular Forces of the country, amounting also, roughly speaking, to another 200,000 men. They made altogether 400,000 men.
664 On 6th August, after War had been declared, I made a Motion in Committee, which was assented to in Committee and by the House on Report, for the addition of 500,000 men to the Regular Forces. These 500,000 men, assuming them all to have been raised, would, in addition to the 400,000 I have just mentioned, amount to a total of 900,000 men. I think it will be interesting to the Committee, before I state the reasons for which I am going to ask them to make this further Vote, to know what has actually happened in consequence of the Vote of 6th August. The number of recruits who have been enlisted into the Army since the declaration of War—this, of course, is exclusive of those who have joined the Territorial Force—is 438,000, practically 439,000. That is up to the evening of 9th September. The Committee will therefore see that, having sanctioned, as it did very little more than a month ago, an addition to the Regular Forces of the Crown of half a million of men, we are now within some 60,000 of having attained that total. The numbers enlisted in London since Sunday, 30th August, have exceeded 30,000 men, and the stamp and character of the recruits has been in every way satisfactory and gratifying. The high-water mark was reached on 3rd September, when the total recruits enlisted in the United Kingdom on one day was 33,204. I may mention—I am sure it will be gratifying to hon. Members on both sides who represent Lancashire constituencies—that on that day 2,151 men were enlisted at Manchester alone.
That is a very satisfactory result, but it by no means exhausts the requirements of the case. The response to the call for recruits has been in every way gratifying, but I am aware, not only from a discussion which took place in the House yesterday, but from communications which reached us from various parts of the country, that there are complaints and grievances causing, legitimately or otherwise, deeply-felt dissatisfaction at the manner in which some parts—I say, advisedly, only some parts—of this operation of recruiting has been conducted. I should like the Committee to realise what were the conditions of the case. We have been recruiting during the last ten days every day substantially the same number of 665 recruits as in past years has been recruited every year. I suppose our annual recruiting amounts to about 35,000 men for the Regular Army. As I pointed out a moment ago, on 3rd September we recruited 33,200. No machinery in the world which man has ever contrived or conceived could suddenly meet, in an emergency and under great pressure, the difficulty of bringing into the Colours and making adequate provision in a day for that which, in past experience, we only had to provide in the course of a year, and that, be it observed, by a Department which during the whole of this time has been engaged in superintending and executing an operation, I believe unexampled in the history of war, namely, the dispatch to a foreign country of an Expeditionary Force—I will not give the exact number, but roughly of 150,000 men—which has had to be, as the Committee I am sure is well aware, in consequence of the necessary and regrettable losses caused by the operations of war, constantly repaired by reinforcements of men, guns, supplies, transport, and every other form of warlike material.
If our critics—I do not complain of legitimate criticism even at times like this—will put themselves at the point of view and try to imagine themselves equipped with the machinery which was possessed by the War Office at the time the War broke out, and then consider, side by side with the smooth, frictionless, and most successful dispatch of this Expeditionary Force which left these shores and arrived at its destination—I am speaking the literal truth—without the loss of a horse or a man, the wastage day by day and week by week that has had to be repaired in men and in material, repaired often at a moment's notice, and the necessity of keeping constantly in reserve, and not only in reserve but ready for immediate use, the materials to replace further wastage as days and weeks rolled on—I think when you remember that was the primary call on the War Office and that side by side with that it has had to provide for recruits in the course of these few weeks of no less than 430,000 men, he will be a very censorious and, I venture to say, a very unpatriotic critic who would make much of small difficulties and friction, and who would not recognise that 666 in a great emergency this Department has played a worthy part. My tenure at the War Office was a brief one, but no one who has ever had the honour, as I have had, to preside over that Department can possibly exaggerate the degree of efficiency to which it has been brought under the administration of recent years. Everything, as the experience of this War has shown, was foreseen and provided for in advance, with the single exception of the necessity of this enormous increase in our Regular Forces.
4.0 P.M.
What provision has been made for dealing with this influx of recruits? In the first place, and I think very wisely, my Noble Friend the Secretary of State for War appealed for the assistance of the County Associations which rendered such great and patriotic services in connection with the Territorial Force. The great bulk of these county associations have responded to the call, and enormously facilitated the work of providing for this large body of new recruits. Next, he, in conjunction with his advisers, has largely multiplied and is continuing to multiply the various training centres. There has been unfortunately—no one can deny it—a congestion of men ready and willing to recruit and actually enlisted at particular places which has produced for the moment, at any rate, a certain amount of discomfort and a certain amount of difficulty in the provision of food and of the other requirements of such a body. But in that connection I should like to make an appeal—although I think the difficulty is now being almost got over I should like to make an appeal very strongly to local authorities, to county councils, town councils, and to urban and rural district councils that when a situation of this kind arises in consequence of a national necessity, they should show themselves, as I am sure they are most willing to do, not only zealous but able to provide accommodation for the moment in the public buildings which are under their charge. I think a great deal of the congestion which has taken place could have been avoided if more liberal use had been made—I am not making a reproach on anyone; the circumstances were exceptional and the pressure very great—if more liberal use had been made, as could be made, of the public buildings, town halls, schools, 667 and other edifices which are under the control of the municipal and county authorities for the purpose, at any rate at the moment, of relieving the great pressure of recruiting. I am quite sure that appeal will not go unheeded. But we recognise fully, and no one more fully than my Noble Friend (Lord Kitchener) the necessity of facilitating this process, and rendering it more easy.
We do not think the time has come when we ought in any way to relax our recruiting efforts, and when people tell me, as they do every day, "These recruits are coming in by tens of thousands; you are being blocked by them, and you cannot provide adequately either for their equipment or for their training," my answer is, "We shall want more rather than less; let us get the men. That is the first necessity of the State—let us get the men." Knowing, as we all do, the patriotic spirit which always—now, of course, with increased emphasis and enthusiasm—animates every class of the community, I am perfectly certain they will be ready to endure hardships and discomforts for the moment, if they are satisfied that their services are really required by the State, and that in due course of time they will be supplied with adequate provision for training and equipment and for rendering themselves fit for taking service in the field. With that object, a few days ago a very important step—and the process is now in complete operation—was taken, which, I am sure, will be generally welcomed by the Committee and by the country, at the depots. Whenever it is necessary, we allow men who are recruited and have gone through the processes of attestation, medical examination, and actual enrolment—so that they are not only potentially but actually members of the Regular Army—we allow these men to go back to their own homes until the occasion arises for them to be called upon for actual training. In that way we hope to relieve, as we shall, and indeed relief has already been given and will be given more amply in the near future, to the undoubted block and congestion which has taken place in certain districts to the natural disappointment of the men who, coming forward under an impulse of public duty to serve 668 their country, have found themselves sent back home and put for the time being in reserve, and have felt perhaps that their services were not duly appreciated by the country. That, I think, the Committee will agree is a very important step in advance.
I have to announce another step which, I believe, will give universal satisfaction and will go a long way to solve practically the difficulty, such as it is. We propose from to-day that there shall be given to those recruits for whom we are unable to find accommodation for the time being in barrack a sum of three shillings per day, which is not an extravagant proposal or in the nature of a bribe. A shilling a day is their pay. [An HON. MEMBER: "1s. 3d.!"] I am speaking in round figures; a shilling is the traditional figure, and we will call it a shilling. Then if we take the value of what we may roughly call the board and lodging of a soldier receiving a shilling a day when accommodated in barracks, and price that at two shillings, I do not think you are putting it extravagantly high. We think that those men who have come forward to join the Colours and have been actually enrolled, and are, in fact, members of the Regular Army, for whom we cannot make immediate provision by way of accommodation, shall be no worse off than they would be if they were actually in barracks, and I believe the provision of that three shillings a day for these men will put them in a position in which they are entitled to say not that they are out for gain or anything of that sort, but that they are not being prejudiced or penalised by their patriotic desires.
§ Mr. HARRY LAWSONAnd their return fares?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe separation allowance does not begin at that point. But as the hon. Member has interjected that phrase, I may add—seeing that hon. Members generally have been very good in not pressing us in regard to the separation allowances for soldiers who are actually serving—that that matter is receiving our daily and constant 669 consideration, and I hope, before the Session comes to an end, to be able to make a further announcement. But it does not arise with regard to this Vote. Having made that defence, if defence were needed—I do not think it was—that statement of what has actually been done by the War Office in these very anxious weeks, and also indicating in those two important respects that we are endeavouring to facilitate the process of recruitment and to remove any possibility of hardship, either to the individual recruit or to recruits collectively in a body, I hope the Committee will agree to pass the Vote for another 500,000 men. I am perfectly certain, if they do so, the response will be no less keen in spirit and no less ample in its scale than it has been in the days which have just gone by. We shall then be in a position, as is apparent from the figures I have already read, to put something like—I am not giving exact figures—something like 1,200,000 men into the field.
§ Mr. WALTER LONGDoes that include the Indians?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, it is entirely exclusive of them.
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINAnd the Dominions?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThis is the provision made by the Mother Country, and of course it is exclusive of the Territorials.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am pointing out to the Committee that exclusive of the Territorials, exclusive of the National Reserve, and exclusive of the magnificent contributions promised from India and from our Dominions, we here in these Islands, this Mother Country, will be in a position to put into the field, enrolled as our Regular Army, something like 1,200,000 men. That is an effort which it is worth while making great sacrifices to attain. As regards money, I am perfectly certain that this House will be ready, willing and eager to grant it if and when occasion arises. What we want now is to make it clear to those who are showing all over the Kingdom this patriotic desire to assist 670 their country in one of the most supreme and momentous crises in the whole of its long history, that they are not going to be treated either in a niggardly or an unaccommodating spirit, but that they are going to be welcomed, and every possible provision is going to be made for their comfort and well-being, so that under the best possible conditions they may take their place and play their part in that magnificent Army of ours, which, as everyone who has read the moving dispatch of Sir John French, published this morning, will realise, has never done its work better, never shown itself more worthy of the long centuries of splendid traditions than in the last fortnight. I ask the House to pass this Vote for 500,000 men.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe right hon. Gentleman, in the statement he has just made, has left me nothing except to express our hearty support of all the measures which the Government are taking in this crisis. From the point of view of the Government and of this House we welcome the putting down of this Vote as showing that both the Government and the House of Commons are determined, whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice, to see this thing through. I can only say in regard to that, that I agree entirely with the words which I heard the Prime Minister use in another place the other day, that in what has taken place so far we have every ground for encouragement and every reason to feel pride in what is being done by our troops. I agree entirely with what the Prime Minister has said about the action of our soldiers on the field of battle. It does not surprise us. We knew that the old spirit is there still, but I think it has, to some extent at least, surprised our enemies. But while we have reason to be gratified by the action which the Government has taken and this House is supporting them in taking, I think, as a nation, we have quite as much reason to be proud of the spirit which is shown by our countrymen in rushing to the standard as we have even in what has been done by our soldiers on the field of battle. I never sympathised—I always resented—with the view expressed at one time that our citizens were holding back. There was no justification for it. At the outset they did not realise what it means, 671 but from the moment they did realise it they have shown that they are prepared to do their share to fight the battles of their country.
I am not going to say anything about the difficulties in connection with recruiting this great force to which the Prime Minister has referred. No one could have doubted that difficulties of that kind would arise, and that hardships would occur. Criticism, I am sure, is not deprecated by the right hon. Gentleman, and ought not to be, if it is framed entirely with this view: to make sure that everything that can be done is being done not to do away with but to minimise the hardships and difficulties with which the authorities were confronted. As the Prime Minister said, the machine was not framed to deal with an emergency like this. No one could expect it to deal with it smoothly, but we have a right to expect that the difficulties are understood at the War Office, and we have the right also to ask that since they cannot be met by the central machine, every effort shall be made in the direction of devolution, and that the difficulties shall be met where they locally arise. I am sure it is a satisfaction to the House, as it was to me, to find that before the discussion arose yesterday not only had Lord Kitchener realised the difficulties, but that he had taken every step possible to meet them, and that the step which he did take was in the direction which we all feel is a wise one—putting the responsibility on those at a distance from the War Office, and expecting them to do it.
I do not think there is anything more worth my while saying. One thing, however, I should like to say. Many of us have been asked to take part in helping recruiting. When I was asked to join in that I had in my mind the feeling, to which I gave expression the other day, that I was not satisfied that too much sacrifice was not being required from those who were going to fight our battles, and that the full share of the sacrifice was being borne by those who remained behind. I gave expression to that view-then. I am not going to make any proposal. It is not necessary. But this I do say: Nothing could be more unfair than that this country should expect all the sacrifice to come from the men who are 672 actually going to risk their lives on our behalf. We know with what splendid spirit they are coming forward. I could, I suppose, as every member of this Committee could, give instances which would surprise us all.
Perhaps it would be interesting to the Committee if I gave one that occurred the other day. The son of a friend of mine, who is well on, had been writing to the War Office and taking every step to try to be accepted in order to fight. He was a partner in a big business in Glasgow with splendid prospects. He threw them all up. He came and hung at the doors of the War Office as if he were seeking for some fat job, when all that he wanted was to be placed, not as an officer but as a private, in one of the most dangerous branches of our Service. That is a spirit that is universal. I do not say in what way further provisions should be made, but I am sure the Committee welcomes the statement the Prime Minister has made that they are going to reconsider the whole question of the separation allowance to the families of the men, and of the pensions which are to be given. I am not going to criticise what the Government has done, but I am sure of this, and I am expressing not the view of our own party at all, but the view of the whole of the Committee, that the country realises that When these men risk their lives for us they are making a big enough sacrifice, and the country will be glad that in every way possible generosity, at the expense of those who remain behind, should be extended to those who are fighting for us.
§ Sir IVOR HERBERTI wish in as few words as possible to express the great satisfaction with which I have heard the statement of my right hon. Friend, and I am sure that that satisfaction will be shared by everyone in this Committee. My right hon. Friend will believe me when I say that there is no one in this Committee who would be less inclined to belittle or to fail to appreciate the immense, indeed, gigantic work that has been done by the Staff of the War Office in sending abroad the great Expeditionary Force. It was not altogether wonderful that with such a work on hand there should have been a failure to appreciate and realise the great work that has to be done here also in preparing for the 673 creation of the New Army of the dimensions of that which has now been created.
It was obvious from the very beginning that the creation of an Army of 500,000 men must demand very great preparation, and it is regrettable that such preparation should not have been adequately considered. I do not wish to criticise them severely or to judge them severely, but I merely state the fact as a fact, and I am sure the very fact of its having been brought to the public notice will have a very sensible effect in directing the minds of those charged with the administration of this country to the immense importance of that which is, perhaps, a less striking work than the work of sending an Army abroad, but which is nevertheless equally important. The failure here was to realise that in this country there existed a great administrative machinery which was at hand and of which use might have been made. I was delighted to hoar the words which fell from my right hon. Friend showing that now it is realised that these administrative bodies—these town, urban and district councils—which exist for other purposes in peace time, are now going to be made use of, and will gladly respond to the call which will be made upon them to act in conjunction with the military authorities of the country. I can only say from my experience of the past month that the patriotism of these bodies has been beyond all praise.
With regard to the provision that is to be made for men now being enlisted, I am delighted to hear that so adequate a provision is being made. With such a provision as has now been announced by my right hon. Friend, an end will be put to many of the difficulties which have arisen. There is one point to which I should like to draw the attention of the Under-Secretary of State for War, because it did not appear very clearly from the statement of the Prime Minister, namely, whether those men who were enlisted before or on the 4th August and who were subsequently sent to the Reserve on the reduced scale of pay will benefit by the arrangement that is now announced. The Prime Minister used the words "from to-day." I think it will have to be retrospective in order to cover the case of these men. Again, I welcome the statement of 674 the Prime Minister that the question of separation allowance is receiving further consideration. In all my experience of the last few weeks I have found hesitation as to whether to enlist or not arising from one cause, and one cause only—a doubt in the mind of the man as to whether his family was adequately provided for. Where it could be shown to him that by means of the separation allowance then existing, supplemented by other private benefactions, his wife and family would be well and satisfactorily provided for, there was no hesitation, and the man at once gave way to the natural impulse to serve his country. I can assure my right hon. Friend that no one appreciates more than I do the work that has been and is being done by the men with whom I have had the honour of being closely associated in the past, and who, I am quite sure, will vindicate in every way the high positions to which they have attained in their profession.
§ Mr. MEYSEY-THOMPSONI wish to thank the Prime Minister for the announcement he made this afternoon. I have been engaged in recruiting for Lord Kitchener during the last month in Yorkshire, and I know the great difficulties that have arisen with regard to the congestion at certain depots. I should like to pay a tribute to the recruiting officers, who have worked night and day, and worked extremely well; also the mayors and corporations of the different towns, who have given us every help in their power. The one thing wanted was to deal with the congestion of those who were called up and who had not adequate means to support themselves. The announcement made by the Prime Minister this afternoon that they are to have 3s. will give the greatest satisfaction and enormously relieve congestion at every depot, and I thank him heartily for having adopted the suggestion, which will make recruiting a great deal easier.
Mr. HAMILTONI should like to ask the Prime Minister one question. He said that where necessity arose the military authorities at the depots or elsewhere could use school buildings. I know one or two cases where it has been desired to use school buildings, but the education authorities have objected, and we have 675 not been able to use the schools. In most cases the schools would only be used temporarily, and I hope the prime Minister will make it clear that where great congestion does occur the education authorities must allow the schools to be closed temporarily and used for military purposes.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have no power in that matter at all. I only made an appeal to local authorities.
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, to all authorities.
Mr. F. HALL (Dulwich)I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman a question with regard to members of the National Reserve. I know a battalion of 2,500 who have already sent over 800 men from Classes 1 and 2 to join the Colours. I have brought this matter before the Under-Secretary for State. The point is that many of these men are getting more or less tired of hanging about and having no duties to perform. All the expenses are borne by the officers themselves. Some statement should be made in this House to satisfy the large body of National Reservists and the officers who are attending to them, and who are training two or three times a week to my own knowledge. A little encouragement from the right hon. Gentleman, or some statement as to when their services are to be used, would be very acceptable to the National Reservists.
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Tennant)In replying to the hon. Gentleman who has just sat down, I would say, as he knows, for I have informed him on the subject, I am placing myself in communication with the General Officer Commanding the London District, asking him whether he would be able to utilise the services of those most patriotic men who have enrolled themselves, particularly in the South and South-East of London, in order to be able to place their service at the disposal of the State. Sir Francis Lloyd informed me this morning—and I can state it to 676 the hon. Member most completely—that he was quite certain these patriotic citizens would be called upon at the earliest possible opportunity, and that he had no doubt in his own mind their services would be utilised in very large numbers. I would, therefore, ask the hon. Member to inform his constituents, as I believe them to be, that their offer and their attitude of mind is very much appreciated by the authorities, and that full use will be made of their services in time. They must not be impatient. Naturally every man wants to serve his country at this moment, but it is not possible to utilise the services of everyone all at once. Perhaps he will tell them that we recognise their patriotic offer and certainly mean to avail ourselves of it. I trust he will be able to allay the doubts which some of them feel.
§ Mr. TENNANTMy hon. and gallant Friend (Sir Ivor Herbert) spoke to-day in a spirit which I desire to recognise. I am able to give him the assurance that he asks for, that those members of the British Army who enlisted recently and who have been placed in the Reserve will receive the bounty alluded to by the Prime Minister. I was interrupted yesterday in a speech in which I was defending my Department. I do not wish that to be an unspoken speech. I think I might be allowed to say that the telegram which I read out at Question Time to-day was sent before my hon. and gallant Friend spoke, and I should like to emphasise that in that telegram from the War Office we say it would appear that all officers in charge of depots do not realise that they have full power to make all arrangements for the comfort of the troops by billeting, etc., thereby demonstrating quite obviously that they have had that power in their hands before, and that where arrangements have broken down it was the fault of local officers who were not able to take full appreciation of the situation and the resources at their disposal.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.