The Germans, however, are calling up another class, which will produce
550,000 efficient young men. These will be prepared to be thrown into
the battle line. This is the 1920 class, aged 18½. These can be thrown
into the battle line before this fight is over, and we must be prepared
for their advent in this struggle this year.
Therefore, I have to submit to Parliament the totals for increasing, and
increasing very materially, the reserves which will be available for
reinforcing our armies in the field during this prolonged battle, upon
which we are only just entering. I will now give roughly some of the
proposals we intend to make in order to increase the number of men
available.
We already have raised for armed forces during the first quarter of the
year more than the quarter's proportion of the original number of men
which it was estimated was the minimum required for the present year. We
are also effecting a very strict comb-out of some of the essential
industries. Very large levies have been taken from munition works. They
will amount, I think, to something like 100,000 grade 1 men.