We have dealt above with Colonel Churchill's speech in regard
to the process of combing out the Army in order to change men who are now non-combatants, mere hewers of wood and drawers of water, into true soldiers. Especially do W3 agree with the way in which he gave voice to a suggestion which is freely recognized by the more thoughtful officers at the front, and has been in their minds and on their tongues for some time past—the scandal of the huge number of men withdrawn as officers' servants. Colonel Churchill no doubt exaggerated when he spoke of there being two hundred thousand officers' servants and fifty thousand grooms abstracted, as it were, from the firing line. Undoubtedly, however, something like the equivalent of two army corps might be released for active service if no officer below the rank of Major wore allowed the privilege of turning a soldier into a servant. No one, of course, would dream of depriving Colonels or officers in high command of their soldier servants, who often save them a very large amount of time and trouble. It is, however, ridiculous to say that every subaltern and Captain requires a servant to himself. One servant could quite well attend a group of officers, and if the officers in question clubbed together the five shillings a week which they now pay to their servants, an ex-soldier of between fifty and sixty could perfectly well be engaged by them to do the work of looking after their uniforms. In many cases the help could be hired locally.
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