134 THE MINORITY REPORT 



must be passed through Parliament before the end of 

 the war. If that be done the delay inevitably inci- 

 dental to employing large numbers of men in excess 

 of the number employed in farming before the war 

 need not be fatal. By means of temporary expedients, 

 such as reclamation schemes, or the need of farmers 

 to take on extra hands for breaking up grass land, or 

 definite promises by farmers of employment at deferred 

 dates, the men may probably be persuaded to stay in 

 England. But they will not be persuaded unless they 

 know exactly what sort of a life they will have to 

 look forward to when they do get their employment. 



82. We, of course, reahse that the proposals we 

 make are drastic ; that to carry them out involves 

 big changes in the whole outlook of the country to- 

 wards agriculture ; that it means a new agricultural 

 policy ; and that we ask for all or much of this to be 

 done during the war. That is true, but the oppor- 

 tunity, we repeat, is unique ; it will never recur ; and 

 the time which will be available for seizing it will 

 be short, just as long as it takes to discharge the men 

 at the end of the war. It is this exigency of the 

 occasion which necessitates such rapidity of action. 



83. In order to get hold of the men elaborate ar- 

 rangements for propagandist work will be needed. 

 Lists of men who are thinking of an open-air life 

 must first be obtained through the regimental officers, 

 as General Childs advised. But after that it will be 

 necessary to bring the Government's detailed pro- 

 posals before the men so ascertained. The persons 

 selected for explaining the proposals to the men must 

 be qualified by a real knowledge of the subject. We 



