28 JULY 1917, Page 3

We can offer no opinion whatever on Lord Derby's scheme

till we know what it is. There is no reason why eiviliane should not administer the whole business of recruiting quite satisfactorily, except that we fear they might pot have the necessary authority to haul a sheltered brother-civilian out of his cloister and force him to "join up." The badged youth would be inclined to say " Who are you 1 " It may be answered that the present Tribunate are civilian organizations, and so they are, but the authority of the Army is pretty close behind their decisions,. However, Lord Derby has done so well for the recruiting of the Army in the past, and he has no much good senile, that we have every reason to trust him.