§ 17. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for War how many recruiting meetings, for the encouragement of voluntary recruiting, were held during the month of April; and what means, apart from such meetings, he is taking to encourage voluntary enlistments in His Majesty's Army?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo recruiting meetings were held during the month of April, as such a method of recruiting was not suitable to the existing circumstances, and would have served no useful purpose. Many and various efforts to encourage enlistment have, however, been made. With the hon. Gentleman's permission, I will circulate a statement in the Official Report, as it is rather too lengthy to read out.
§ The following is the statement referred to:
§ No recruiting meetings were held during the month of April, as such a method of recruiting was not suitable to the existing circumstances and would have served no useful purpose.
§ Many and various efforts to encourage the voluntary enlistment of men of the several classes required have, however, been made during the past few months, and conditions now render it possible and desirable to adopt further measures in this direction.
§ The conditions and advantages of service in the Army have already been extensively advertised—a wide choice of period of service has been given and generous bounties have been offered to induce men to re-enlist. Compulsory transfer of men now re-enlisting is to cease.
§ A considerable number of recruiting agents have been appointed throughout 1419 the country, and the number is to be increased in the near future; moreover, the assistance of civil organisations has been asked for and freely given.
§ Regular units which are now forming for service abroad are taking active steps to promote recruiting in their districts, and opportunities are to be afforded to units on the Rhine to supply officers and non-commissioned officers as recruiting agents who can describe the conditions of service in that Army.
§ The foregoing indicates a few only of the measures already adopted, or to be adopted in the near future, to stimulate voluntary enlistments.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. LOWTHERCould it not be widely proclaimed that volunteers are urgently required to replace men who have given two, three, and four years' service to their country and who cannot be demobilised until volunteers are forthcoming?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI do not at all exclude the possibility of the inauguration of a campaign similar to that which was started when the War Loan was floated, but up to the present we have relied upon the regular methods of recruiting.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe hon. and gallant Member is dealing with a rather different state of affairs from that which existed in the earlier stages of the War. People have had a great deal of military service, and there is a great desire to take advantage of the unemployment benefit and this great period of labour now that the War is over.