Before we leave Mr. Asquith's speech we want to say
a word as to an omission from it. Though he referred to the National Reserve, be did not tell us how many men that body has given to the Army. No doubt the difficulty about a statement is that the National Reserve has been used, as was probably inevitable, in driblets, and that no one for the moment knows bow many men it has sent in. Again, the usefulness of the National Reserve has not been exhausted, and we are probably on the eve of a much wider employment of Class II. Still, considering the splendid patriotism shown by the National Reserve—shown in peace time and before the excitement of the war—we do hope most sincerely that an early opportunity will be taken by the Government to state what the country owes to the National Reserve. We are perfectly sure that the Government recognize their duty as to acknowledging the patriotism of the Reserve, and mean to do it handsomely, but undoubtedly many of the men feel that they have been neglected. They would, therefore, greatly appreciate a public statement by the Prime Minister. No National Reservists ever received a penny of public money for themselves in peace. Personally what we should like to BCC would be a vote of thanks by the House of Commons to the officers and men of the National Reserve.
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