Sir Auckland Geddes made an important speech as Minister of
National Service at Edinburgh on Wednesday night. He laid it down that the demands of the Army must be dealt with in relation to the whole field of man-power strategy. In transferring men to urgent national work there would never be industrial compulsion. In the great transferences of labour the machinery which Labour itself had established would be used. Alternative schemes of enrol- ment would be offered to war-work volunteers and no man Would be a financial loser. The Restricted Occupations Order would be abolished, except as regards enemy aliens, who would be required to undertake useful work or would be interned. Them was at present no intention of raising the legal military age. Such action might be necessary later on, but meanwhile fit men between the ages of forty and fifty were urgently requested to volunteer for military service. Finally, all the national services required more women, who were not coming forward in large enough numbers.
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