Doubling the Territorials The announcement that the Government has first
decided to bring the Territorials to war strength, 170,000, and then to double their number, was received with general approval in the House of. Commons, and will be equally welcomed in the country. There is undoubtedly a case for the introduction of a Conscription Bill which would• enable the Government to call on the services of any able-bodied man between certain ages in case of need, but no more men in fact are at present needed, or could be used to advantage, than the doubling of the Territorials will produce; and it has been made perfectly clear that conscription today would be so vigorously opposed by Labour that national unity would be gravely compromised. Provided the required Territorial recruits are rapidly forth- coming the voluntary enlistment of some 200,000 men will have a considerable moral value both at home and in friendly and hostile countries. The new force will be equipped in all respects like the regular army, and the effect of the expansion will be to double the number of divisions available for service overseas. Something will depend on the readiness of em- ployers to afford all possible facilities for the enlistment of members of their staff—though to dwell on that at a juncture like the present should be superfluous.
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