THE ARMY PROPOSALS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—I read the article re the above in the Spectator of March 16th, and consider the scheme therein propounded a near approach to the panacea for solving our recruiting diffi- culties. Being a practical man with twenty-four years' ex- perience of recruiting, I would point out that not more than 10 per cent. of the men entering their names on a Home Defence Register are likely to attain the age of sixty-five years, and that, therefore, this excellent idea is to some extent nullified at the first outset. Again, is. a day is, to use a colloquialism, only sufficient to get a drink ; that is to say, if a man is past work and has no friends, it is insufficient to keep him outside the workhouse, where it would promptly be taken from him. During the past twenty years recruiting sergeants have been heavily handicapped by the prospective nature of the terms, many of which, as is well known, are more imaginary than real. Is not your otherwise brilliant idea a little too prospective ? Is it likely to conduce to recruiting that when the recruit is invited to join you say to him: 'After you have completed seven years with the colours and five in the Reserve, you will become eligible to register your name for home defence, which will ensure you a pension of is. a day after having attained the age of sixty-five years'? And can you not anticipate his answer ? Is is. a day a fitting com- pensation for the man whose services have been held "at call" for forty-five years ? Make it is. 6d. a day, and put
back the age to sixty, and you have not only a strong incentive to recruiting, but a ready-made army within your grasp.--I
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