The principal subject of debate on this day's considera- tion
of the Army Estimates was the case of the ex-ranker officers. It will be remembered that last week the War Office issued a White Paper which proved how rash Mr. Ramsay MacDonald had been in promising at the General Election that a Labour Government would satisfy the claims of the ex-ranker officers who received temporary commissions. Mr. MacDonald was entirely misled by the electoral questionnaire which was put to him. It is a strange irony indeed which requires a Government to pub- lish official repudiations of itself. The whole matter depends upon the phrase " identical conditions." If the ex-ranker officers served under " identical conditions " with other officers their claim would be sound, but apparently they did not. On the other hand, it must be admitted that the accuracy of the War Office paper was seriously disputed in the debate. In the end the Prime Minister suggested that a Committee of three should inquire into the whole matter. Their terms of reference would cover all ranks, and not merely ex-ranker officers. The proposal was accepted.
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