to solve the practical difficulty, such as it is.  We propose from today that there shall be given to those recruits for whom we are unable to find accommodation for the time being 3s. per day. [Cheers.] This is not an extravagant proposal, or anything in the nature of a bribe.  A shilling a day is their pay. [An Honorable Member—­1s. 3d.] I am speaking in round figures; we will call it a shilling.  Then if we take the value of what we may roughly call the board and lodging of a soldier receiving 1s. a day when accommodated in barracks and price that at 2s., I do not think you are putting it extravagantly high.  We think that these men who have come forward to join the colors and have been actually enrolled, and are, in fact, members of the regular army, for whom we cannot make immediate provision by way of accommodation, should be no worse off than they would be if they were actually in barracks.  I believe the provision of that 3s. a day for these men will put them in a position in which they are entitled to say that they have not been prejudiced or penalized by their patriotic desires.

Mr. Lawson (Mile End, Opp.)—­And their return railway fares?

An Honorable Member—­And their separation allowances?

Mr. Asquith—­The separation allowance does not begin, but as the honorable member has interjected that phrase I will add—­because honorable members generally have been very good in not pressing us in regard to the separation allowances to soldiers who are actually serving—­that that matter is receiving our daily and constant consideration, and I hope before the session comes to an end to be able to make a further announcement.  But it does not arise with regard to this vote.  Having made that defense, if defense were needed—­I do not think it was—­having made that statement of what has actually been done by the War Office in these very anxious days, and also having indicated that in those two important respects we are endeavoring to facilitate the process of recruitment and to remove any possibility of hardship, either to the individual recruit or to recruits collectively, I hope the committee will agree to pass a vote for another 500,000 men.  I am perfectly certain if they do so the response will be no less keen—­keen in spirit—­and no less ample in scale than it has been in the days which have just gone by.

An Army of 1,200,000.

We shall then be in a position, as is apparent from the figures I have already read, to put something like—­I am not giving exact figures—­something like 1,200,000 men in the field.

Mr. Long (Strand)—­Does that include the Indians?

Mr. Asquith—­No, it is entirely exclusive of them.  This is the provision made by the mother country.  And of course it is exclusive of the territorials.

Mr. F. Hall—­And of the national reserve?