RECRUITING IN SCOTLAND.
[To TER EDITOR OP Ms "BricT■ToR.1 SIR,—III an editorial note in your last issue you write : "It is in the great industrial centres of Scotland that there has been slackness, if anywhere. We may, however, be wrong." But why make the cruel assumption if you do not know? In this largely industrial county not only have recruits rallied to the Territorial Force Association, with which I am con- nected, so that all, save one, of our newly formed (Reserve) units of artillery, engineers, and infantry are complete, but recruiting offices have been kept steadily employed for (1) the new Armies; (2) the Naval Volunteers; (3) the new Naval (Land) Brigades; and (4) stokers for the Fleet. Further, the fact that already in our industrial centres there are many widows of soldiers fallen at the front and of sailors lost in naval operations in many parts of the world indicates that the call of the Regular Army and Navy has not been disregarded here in recent years.
One thing ought to be made known to those whose facile pens are too ready to impute "slackness" to the industrial classes, and that is that returns of recruiting compared to population are fallacious, inasmuch as recruiting officers are strictly enjoined to enlist no man employed in armament works without a certificate from his employer that he can be spared. How can such men he spared, in ratio to population, at a moment when special efforts are being demanded for the manufacture of shells and shrapnel, and for the huge business of laying down, riveting, and completing with engines battle- ships of all descriptions, from the super-Dreadnought to the submarine, to say nothing of our mercantile ships which bring TB food and commerce P This applies to all "industrial centres" on, or near, the Clyde.
Neither these men nor their brothers, who are readily enlisting, expect thanks for their services, but for leading journals—as only too many do—to rate them as "slackers" is neither good manners nor wise policy. Genuine "slackers" are to be found, no doubt, in all countries, but surely the last place for such is in the ranks of our splendid British Army. The root difficulty of recruiting " in millions" lies in the happy circumstance that, unlike the enemy, we are able, thanks to our glorious Fleet, to employ millions in the main- tenance of productive commerce as well as in the necessary output of material for the use of our soldiers and sailors already engaged.—I am, Sir, be., HUGH SHAW STRWA.RT.
Ardgowon, Greenock.
[Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart appears to suggest that we have called men who did not enlist " slackers." We cannot recall having done so ; no doubt he will give us the reference. We are delighted to hear that industrial Scotland has done so splendidly, and that the information we received previously was incorrect, for we thoroughly appreciate and admire Scottish patriotism, and have never failed to acknowledge its intensity. It only shows how needful it is that the figures for all recruiting districts should be published. Then no such blunders as be accuses us of perpetrating could be made. All we want is the facts. In arsenal towns allowance should, of course, be made for men at work for the Government. Ordinary good trade cannot, however, be regarded as a sound ground for not enlisting. Otherwise all rich men might claim prosperity as an excuse, and we should be sunk by the weight of our gold. Such a theory would make prosperity the direst peril, and would, we feel certain, be condemned out of hand by Sir Hugh Shaw Stewart.—En. Spectator.]
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