§ Mr. KINGasked the Prime Minister whether he has considered the differences in the recruiting practices of the Allies, especially that the military age in this country is several years higher than the age up to which men are conscripted in France and Italy; that British soldiers are sent into the trenches at an earlier age than French or Italian soldiers; and that exemptions from military service are much more freely given by the Italian than by the British military recruiting officers; and whether, in order to attain unity of effort and sacrifice, he will alter our methods in this regard so as to make them more closely in accord with those of our Allies?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question on his behalf. The statements made in the first three parts of the question. cannot be accepted, and the reply to the last part is in the negative.