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The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2105210
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CALL FOR MEN.
RECRUITING IN VICTORIA.
333 ACCEPTED.
Saturday's recruiting figures are chiefly remarkable for the increased proportion of men accepted for,service out of the total number who volunteered. Since January 1 24,965 Victorians of military age have volun- teered, ond 13,757 have been accepted. Ap- pended are details of Saturdays recruit- ing:-
Volunteered. Accepted. Town Hall-
Townsmen . . . . 267 108 Countrymen . . . . 82 65
Prahran . . . . 34 22 Brunswick;. ....... 31 22 Bendigo ......' 15 ' 10 Ballarat .. '.'.".. ..13 9 Geelong ...'..'.'. '24 15 Warrnambool - .. " 1 1 Sale.''.... "33 26 Horsham. 23 l8 Wangaratta .... 8 -6 Mildura. 25 14 Ararat;.; ' 15 . ,11. Hamilton ....." 7 ' "3
Warragul ..,..., 5 3" .
583 ' 333
Home Service. 4
Deferred. 4V. Referred to Medical Board .. 30 Referred to Vision Board . . 12 Referred to Dental Board . . 4
The respective weekly results since Janu- ary 1 of this year are tabulated below:
Volunteered. Accepted. Week Ended
January 8 . .. 1,739 997 January 15 . .. 1,539 ' 826 January 22 . .. 2,443 . 1,255 January 29 . . . 2,698 1,574 February 5 . .. 4,011 2,032 February 12 . . 3,417 1,919 February 19 . . 3,107 1,620 February 26 . . 3,004 1,732 March 4 .. .. 3,007 1,802
Total . .. 24,965 13,757
OTHER STATES.
Enlistments for the other States resulted
as follows:
Volunteered. Accepted. New South Wales 86 63 Queensland. . . . . . 67 49
(Total to date 32,432.)
Perth-. . . . . . . . . .124 64
The enrolments for New South Wales last week were as follows:-City, 557; coun- try, 401. Total, 061.
THE POSITION IN VICTORIA.
SHORTAGE OF RECRUITS.
By B. J). CAMPBELL.
There appeared in "The Argus" of Friday last a statement by Senator Pearce," in reply to a question as to whether he had anything to say in regard to recruiting results, in which he said:-"The facts in regard to en- listment are not complete, and there are very good reasons why, at present, they should not be published." And further, in his opinion we shall get the numbers re- quired by voluntary enlistment." Senator Pearce's attitude is one of optimism-a frame of mind not conducive to the best results; in fact, its immediate effect is to lull people into a state of false security hope deferred. Diametrically opposed to Senator Pearce's opinion are the public de- clarations of those directly concerned, and so to speak, responsible for the success of the present recruiting campaign that con- scription-is the only method to attain the
desired result. Senator Pearce says "the facts in regard to enlistment are not com-
plete." Is it to be understood that all the men who stated on their enlisting cards that they were prepared to enlist at once have not yet passed into the army? This can hardly be the case, as it may fairly be assumed that the fortnight's grace given to such volun- teers to arrange their affairs has expired in every case. Accepting the official returns as publish daily in "The Argus" as correct, and there is no reason to suppose them otherwise, the position in Victoria by no means bears out the optimism expressed by Senator Pearce, but only emphasises the need for greater response to the appeal for recruits both for the new army and to maintain reinforcements. Victoria's obli- gations are twofold. Firstly, reinforcements for the units already at the front, and the new army for which is needed 5,100 men per month. Secondly, proportion of new army, 16,600 men. Basing the raising of these re- quirements over a period of seven months, from December 1 to June 30 next-the weekly requirements would be:-Reinforce- ments, 1,170; new force, 544; total, 1,714. From December 1 to February 29, a period of 13 weeks, the total requirements would be 22,282 men, leaving 30,018 to he enrolled between February 29 and June 30 next. The total enlistment from December 1 to February 29 is 13,787-showing a shortage of 8,495. To make good this shortage, the weekly enlistments should average 2,201 to June 30. Victoria's reinforcements for the 33-weeks to February 29 total 15,210, while the enlistments are 13,787, as a matter of fact, there is a shortage of 1,423 in re- inforcements requirements alone. But should the numbers required be wanted at a shorter period than seven months, a re- ference to the table will explain the posi-
tion:
TABLE SHOWING PROPORTION OF NEW ARMY
AND REINFORCEMENTS REQUIRED. IF EN- LISTED, AT VARIOUS PERIODS:
if
cs
5| -sf
3_
£t.
* _ "
.. 8,300
s.xoo
13,100
28,600 .. 5,533
5,100
10,633
.11,900 5,100
11,2»
37,000
5 _ ..
.. 3,390
15,100
8.420
.12,100
5,100
7,85»
47,200 6,100
7,471
52,300
SUPREME SACRIFICE NEEDED
MR. JOSEPH COOK'S VIEW.
SYDNEY^ Sunday.-The leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr. Joseph Cook) un-
veiled a roll of honour with 32 names on it in the Dundas Town Hall on Saturday even- ing.
In the course of his speech Mr. Cook said that he felt impelled to fupeak of the present slackness in recruiting. The 50,000 fresh troops offered by the Prime Minister, to be of the greatest use, should have been mobi- lised by now. He hoped tlfat they would get through with the present volnntary methods, but if they did not get men freely and quickly those methods would have to bo changed. Men must go, and go quickly, ere it be too late. Why wa» it that con- stant appeal had to be made to the people both in Great Britain and here to realise what was taking place? A supreme sacri- fice was the only basis of a supreme effort required to win the war.
AUSTRALIANS AT GALLIPOLI.
? FRENCH APPRECIATION.
' FREMANTLE, Raturday.-Mr. H. S. Gullett, an Australian journalist, who bas octcd as official war correspondent for the Australian press in France, arrived from London to-day by the steamer Orontes. He will deliver a scries of lectures in Australia, dealing with various phases of the fighting on the Western front. _ Mr. Gullett ex- pressed a very high opinion of the French arrnj-, stating that as a fighting force it was unequalled. He said that he had come in contact with a number of leading French generals, who were greatly impressed with the magnificent work of Australians at Gal- lipoli. Some members of the staff of the 'Fifth French Army had been most eulogie
tie in their references to the Anrtmriim.