The scruples of those belonging to recognized religious denominations
which forbid military service will be respected. All those whose
services in the occupations in which they are now engaged, whether
agricultural, industrial or commercial, are essential to the national
interest or whose business or domestic responsibilities are so onerous
that serious hardship would result if they were enrolled, are entitled
to conditional exemption. There is, however, no provision that any
occupation or industry shall be absolutely exempted. Each individual
claim for exemption must be considered on its merits, but the general
dispositions of the law are such as to ensure that civil occupation
will compete successfully with military service in any case in which it
is established that the withdrawal of the man from his civil occupation
would materially diminish the output or production, or seriously
impair the service necessary for the maintenance or efficiency of the
expeditionary force, or for the support of the people at home. It will
readily be perceived, having regard to this principle, that the supply
of useful farm labor must not be substantially diminished since food
production is so vital not only to the inhabitants of Canada, but to
the armies, to Great Britain and to the allied countries within the
actual area of war; and also because the volume of exports must be
maintained, for upon these greatly depend the national revenues and the
ability of the Dominion to provide credits for the mother country. More
and more increasingly Britain’s purchases in Canada will be measured
by the amount of credit that Canada can supply. The huge war burdens
of Britain, and the immense obligations assumed for the allies have
strained her financial resources; and in proportion, therefore, as we
can afford relief, we will render service secondary in importance only
to reinforcement of the army.