The Central Powers at the outbreak of the war had a population of
142,250,000, in round numbers, of which 26,310,000 were males between
the ages of 18 and 44, and if 70 per cent. of them were available for
military service their man power would be approximately 18,360,000.
Since the Russian fiasco Germany has occupied a territory greater in
area than both Germany and Austria, in which there live upward of
51,000,000 people. And if the reports that we get are to be believed,
the Kaiser has compelled the boys between 18 and 21 in this occupied
territory to enter the German training camps, and he hopes in a short
time to have them on the western front, thus augmenting his man power
to approximately 21,000,000 fighting men.
This is the job we have on our hands. The newspapers tell us that
the Kaiser has only 2,000,000 or 3,000,000 soldiers, but it would be
wise for the members of this House in passing legislation affecting
the conduct of the war to keep in mind the figures that I have just
indicated. To meet this Great Britain--the British Isles, Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand--France, Italy, and the United States have a
combined population from which they can draw 30,000,000 or 40,000,000,
and in addition to these numbers there is an enormous reservoir from
which to draw further man power in the colonies and possessions of the
Allies and the twenty-three smaller countries now allied with us in
the war. To show something of the relative strength of the contending
forces I will read the following capitulation, which is believed to be
substantially accurate and has been compiled after very careful inquiry
from the best sources available: