[Cheers.] My tenure at the War Office was a brief one, but no one
who has ever had the honor to preside over that department can possibly
exaggerate the degree of efficiency to which it has been brought under
the administration of recent years. Everything, as the experience of
this war has shown, was foreseen and provided for in advance with the
single exception of the necessity of this enormous increase in our
regular forces.
Steps for Dealing with Recruits.
What provision has been made for dealing with this influx of recruits?
In the first place, and I think very wisely, my noble friend the
Secretary of State for War appealed for the assistance of the county
associations, which rendered such great and patriotic services in
connection with the territorial forces. The great bulk of these county
associations have responded to the call and enormously facilitated the
work of providing for this large body of new recruits. Next, he, in
conjunction with his advisers, has largely multiplied, and is continuing
to multiply, the various training centres. There has been--unfortunately,
no one can deny that there has been--a congestion of men ready and
willing to recruit and actually enlisting at particular places which
has produced, for the moment at any rate, a certain amount of
discomfort and a certain amount of difficulty in the provision of food
and all the other requirements of such a body.
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