This great naval and military effort,IEfir Auckland Geddes went on,
must be maintained. Therefore from 420,000 to 450,000 civilians at least must be called up, and replaced in part by discharged soldiers. The Government would not either lower or raise the mili- tary age. Germany was calling up boys of seventeen, and Austria was taking men up to the age of fifty-five, but we should not be justified in calling on the elderly men while there were "notoriously large numbers" of younger men fit for general service still in civil Ida. The Government had decided also not to apply compulsory service to Ireland. But they would withdraw the exemption en- joyed by a very large number of young men now employed in essen- tial industries. The Government were anxious that men who had been severely wounded more than once should not return to the fighting-line. Pacificiste were trying to stir up strife in the munition factories. But if the young men claimed immunity for themselves at the expense of the wounded soldiers, "they will meet a blast of contempt and hatred that will surprise them."
