On Wednesday when the Army Estimates were under dis- cussion
Mr. Vicary Gibbs moved the reduction of the vote by three thousand men in order to draw attention to the uneasi- ness felt at the quality of the recruits. The result of his speech was to obtain the most important announcement from Mr. Brodrick that in future no " specials " were to be taken, and that the men's characters would be inquired into. We need hardly say that we believe that the taking of mere boys or of men physically unfit is the greatest possible mistake, but we trust that the mere mechanical test of height is not the one which will be used to exclude inefficient men. A small man, if he is sound, may be much hardier and stronger than a big man, just as ponies often are stronger than horses. The average French soldier is very small, but he will carry a heavier weight and march better than the average Guardsman. Not height but health should be the standard of rejection. As to the character requirement there can be no question. Nothing in the long run injures recruiting more than the admission of " undesirables " into the Army. In the end, Mr. Vicary Gibbs asked to be allowed to withdraw his Motion as he was quite satisfied with Mr. Brodrick's assurances. This was, however, refused, and a division forced, with the result that the Government obtained a majority of 173 (246 to 73).
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