SPLIT IN BRITAIN OVER CONSCRIPTION

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1947, Page 7

SPLIT IN BRITAIN OVER CONSCRIPTION

i ■ I ■ Received Friday, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, March 21. A revolt in the Labour Party is likely over the Government 's National Service JBiil which will introduce eonseription. The Evenmg Standard's poiitical correspondent says more than 100 Labour members of the Gommons and the entire Liberal Party will J vote against the Bill. Forty-hve Labour members yesterday tabled an amendment against the Bill and according to the Evening News Mr. Attlee takes a serious view of their aetion. The amendment urges a cut in military commitments. A three-line whip lias been sent to all Labour Commoners to vote for the Government and even abstentions to show disapproval of the plan to keep over 1,000,000 in the serviees would be taken as a rebuff to the Government.

A meeting late last uight of thc influential Defence and Service Coui rnission which 37 former oliicer Com moners attended unaiiimously resolveu to inform the Parliayientary Socialist Party that unless the Governmeni capitulated to their demands foi reforms in the Serviees before thc second reading they would vote against the Bill. The meeting agreed with ont speaker's contention that Mr. A. V. Alexander was the worst possible choice for Defence Minister. T.he meeting decided to oppose cou scription under the Bill unless the Minister withdrew immediately his re jection of the committee 's demands. The chief of these are a speedup in de mobilisation, the democratisation of the - Serviees, the abolition of ' ' special ; entry" to the Dartniouth Royal Naval College, and the provision of un-. restricted opportunity for officership in the Gu'ards brigades.

The Evensing titandard's poiitical correspondent learns that Mr. Alexand- | er "irrevocably " rejected the committee 's demand that demobilisation should be speeded up. He pointed out that the proposed 27l,0(JU additional releases n'ould include so many teclinicians that concurrence in the committee 's proposals would almost cripple both the Army and Navy. Despite this categorical rejection the comniittce decided to give Mr. Alexander until the second reading — expeeted witliin 10 days — to ehauue his mind.

During the Commons debate last uiglit on the Government 's Defence White Paper the ' Speaker ruled a Labour rebel aineudment urgiug a review of Britain 's military coiumitnients out of order and would not be called. Mr. Alexander tlien moved a resolution approving of the Government 's Defence White Paper. He defended the Guveruineut '& inleution to spenJ £399,000,000 on defence and maintaiii ariued forces which will totitl-1, (@7.000 nien and women at Marcli 3t, ,H«8. Mr. Alexander, ^eplying:ifQv\ri|icism that manpower was ueing wastedj said tJie^Go.vernment had frihncd ,the Defeii% White Paper belie;y$ng-it' iwhs al realy^dlear that in t^^HyHtages the^UMted Natiohs Org^jsaliptif'W'ould not kMj&ble -the, . greak to dis [jense^Vith their separate armed forces. ' The Middle East remained a vital linU in the security -of .thc British Gommou wealth and our Icgitimate reqhireincnts must be safeguarded in that area. Britain was not prepared to contemplate the total withdrawal of British forces r'rom lndia in the short time before the (mai transfer of power. Mr. Alexander, contluuing, said the Enited Nations liad for some time been considering proposals by llussia and the United States for the disclosure of the streug'th of the armed forces of various Powers, but no agreement had yet been reached. The Government fclt it would be a mistake to revert to the prewar practice of rcvealing the strength in the Service Estimates until the policy for free exchange of information had been universally agreed. Mr. Alexander said he did not doubt. that the criticism was based on sincere|y lield views but the Goverunient had made its dccision just as sincerely "in the light of responsibilitv for the det'ence of Britain, for the prevention, of wars, and for building intemational secnrity and peace". • Mr. Alexander, discussing the alloca- • ion of expenditure for various purpos.;s, said the Government attached ipe -ial iniportance to research and^in- ' en led to spend more than £(50,000,000 lui ing the coming year. Some re.earches were already bearing fruit but uothing revolutionarv must be expeeted vet. lle eni]»hasised the diderence betwcen the Government 's long-term policy, which depended on circum--ilances as yet unknown or uncertain, and the policy for 1947. He said he -ihared the desirc of certain Government supporters that defence re-

sponsibilities should be redueed at the earliest, but "because of the greai dangers which would follow the aband onnxent of our power in preserving peace and order' ' he could not sul>scribe to the critics' views. Mr. Alexander revealed that the Government originally proposed to spend £1,0(54,000,000 on defence but hau whittled the sum down to £399,000,000. Mr. Alexander said the Serviees weri, now being "run down". Fifteen pei eent. of the Army, 25 per eent. of the Navy and 33 per eent. of the Roval Air Force were in training and any pre eipitate reduction in the size of thc forces would malce them wholly inoper able. He looked forward, however, to a progressive lightening or termination of overseas commitments making au ' appreciable lowering of the defenct ligures in future. It should not bt

assumed that the omission of any re ference in the White Paper to tln Commonwealth meant that nothing wa. being done to develop the elosest an'' friendliest cooperation for defence, bill it must be recognised that the Gommou wealth Governments were answerabh to their own Parliaments and coopera tion would only flourish if i remembered that the Commonwealtl was a free association of indexrenden peoples. Britain must see that tlu Dominions were kcpt fully infonned s= , that they could deeide their owi. defence policies.

The misuse of nianpower was clearly dieturbing members on both sides o the House and the Government had de eided to eall in representatives of themployers and employees to report oi; the use of the Servics' manpower These would reinforce the extensive or ganisation of sjiecial committecs ai ready existing in the Serviees. Mr. A. E. Low critieised the lack or reference to imperial defence problems. It was the very wors' kind of patroriisiug to say tlu Dominious would be ollendcd if thc House discussed the need for them ai to play their proper part. ThDominions could contribute to currencommitments with occupation and polic ing and could help to.build new baseu from which to defeud communicationas part of the long-term policy. Dr. Haden Guest said defence must ; be on Commonwealth lines and eouh! | begin by developing industries over thc' Commonwealth. The House agreed to a motion tn accept thie Defence White Paper.