Keeping the Pledge to Married Men.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2663, 7 January 1916, Page 5

Keeping the Pledge to Married Men.

. Mr. Asquith said lie had never thought, perhaps because lie was too sm guine, that the contingency contemplated pledge would be realised Ho had hoped and believed that it would not'but he had to face the fact and if he was forced to confront the same situation again ;lio would take precisely the same course There were GoO,OOO unmarried m'en who were not accounted for. While he was prepared to make largo deductions, he was totally ~, able to treat tliis ficrure as anything but substantial and considerate Mr Asquith added that Sir John Simon thought the figure could be reduced to an inconsiderable quantity He did not share this view Therefor there were only two ways m which the pledge could be fulfilled ' Firstly Jf would bo possible to release the married men, numbering 400 000 Mr A quith said this would create a huge gap in the scheme, which provided the mIT liou men voted the other day. The second course was to provide that single men of military age who had no ground for exemption or excuse for not doing their duty to the' State in times like this, sliould be treated as though they had attested and enlisted This course was taken. The Bill was confined to the nledce siven mwW +lm Derby scheme, and was therefore limited to Great Britain. It came into operation on December 21, the day after the Bill was passed, and lasted during the period of the war. , It only applied to British subjects who on Au" gust 15, had attained the age of 18, and not more than 41, and onlv to unmarried men or widowers without children. Conscientious Objectors Exempted. The exemptions under the Bill included men not originally resident in Great Britain, or resident there for educational or other special purposes men in Holy Orders, regular ministers of any denomination, and conscientious objectors to combatant service. (Dissent). Mr. Asquith said ho was very sorry, to hear of dissent and dorision. He pointed out that Pitt and his successor, in enforcing the militia ballot, expressly exempted people who had conscientious objections, such as Quakers. Our Australasians and South African fellow-subjects who had adopted compulsory military service iucludod these exceptions with the best results. Indeed; lie believed that the words proposed in the Act were taken from the colonial Acts on these grounds They had been carefully devised toincet all cases of possible hardship an dto secure that none camo under theobligations of.the Bill unless they ha d manifestly no reasonable ground fornot responding to the country's call. The exemptions also included those suffering from ill-health or physical intirmity, men engaged in work of national importance, and men with dependents Mr. Asquith said that exemption was also granted in eases in which a family had sent three or more sons lo the war. Perhaps they had been wounded or killed, leaving a single unmarried son. H would bo monstrous injustice to call such a man. Certificates might, also bo granted to any f.'m'tn'iliiß'Ut DtHJui'tiiiunt fur its nnmlovßfis aitr.r consultation with the War ufttco.

A Service Tribunal to Be Set Up. The Bill proposed that a service tribunal should be set up in each local registration area, and a lamer appeal tribunal in the bigger areas, with final appeal to a central body in London. He hoped the Bill would be passed with something in the nature of general assent. He was sanguine enough to anticipate this would lie the fortune of the Bill when its provisions were clearly understood. Would any sympathy, ho asked, be ielt towards young men who did not rccognise their national and: moral obligation at this time of great distress? Mr.' Asquith, continuing, said he still hoped the Bill would be a dead-letter. Let these men come forward of their own free will, the group system was reopened. In tho meantime the Government must make provision to keep their promise, and must not allow it to bo said that they dallied or delayed with the performance of an obligation of honour. Late Home Seorctary Opposes the Bill. , Sir John Simon (who recently resigned from the Ministry) followed, and sanl he did not rise to make a personal explanation. He had'made his choice, which was more difficult and more painful because he owed to Mr. Asquith all the help and encouragement' which could be given a younger man,' and for every opportunity he enjoyed-in party life. But it seemed to him that this Bill should be resisted. The Bill was specially recommended because of the fulfilment of a pledge. It must be' distasteful to Mr. Asquith that many who had effusively assured him of their perfect confidence if he would keep his word were tho very men and newspapers who for years past had mado it their trade to accuse liini, without reason, of breaking faith. A sensitive, scrupulous, and honourable man exposed to such gratuitous assurances from such quarters might well be too ready to perform what he thought was the letter of his bond before the conditions attached to it had been fulfilled. The issue was not a great statesman's faith. No honest Englishman doubted that the real issue was whether or not they should introduce a fundamental change in society. Sir John Simon continued: Tho Derby report had hot shown, the bankruptcy of tlie voluntary effort, but the attachment of the people to a national institution by which alone the nation could remain united. He hoped tlie'Bill would not reach the Statute Book, but if it did he would not associate himself with anyone violently resisting the law. He regarded .compulsion not merely as an expediency;, but as a vital principle of national life. Mr. Asquith, on November 2, indicated that compulsion could only be brought in with something like general consent. He believed the men still remaining in tho Cabinet held views identical with his own. The condition attached to Mr. Asquith's pledge was that the facts would be most fully learned, and that legislation would come afterwards. . That condition was not fulfilled. There were many strange features in Lord Derby's report, and the strangest was the mannor in which the negligible minority was attached to the wrong figure. Jhe right figure was tho number spareable for military service. -/Who dared say that figure was more than negligible. Tlie minority doubted whether there was a substantia] number of shirkers, for whom he had no sympathy. The Bill reversed tho promised programme. We were ' now legislating first and investigating afterwards. Some regarded voluntaryism as a priceless heritage. If we aro going to sell our birthright we should make sure the •mess of nottage provides a square meal. Tlie Bill brought in compulsion in the dark, arousing a bitter division without an assurance of the benefit likely to result. Would the principle of compulsion stop with the Bill P Lord Derby had said he felt he was somewhat in tho position of a receiver put in to wind up a bankrupt concern. Sir John Simon denied that the young men of England had refused to T u , appealed to the House not to. tell the enemy that hundreds or thousands of free men in this country refused to fight for'freedom. He asked them not to pay Prussian militarism the compliment of imitation first. Uur task should be to thoroughly investigate tho facts. Views of Othor Members. Mr. J. Labour M.P., thought tho voluntary system had failed, so tar as jUr. Asquith s pledge to the married men was concerned. I-Ie was not bound to tlie Labour Party, whoso attitude would be largely dictated by the nthe Conference to-morrow. If tho decision was adverse, lie hoped ivoukl be withdrawn. There must be no industrial conscription Mr. C. E. ,H. Hobhouse (Liberal) did not oppose the Bill, but wanted an ent UranoG * " aS a tcm l loral ' y measu ' re and would not be made permanSir W. P. Byles (Liberal) opposed the Bill because of his invincible objection to compulsion in any form. Mr. Boscawen said it was impossible otherwise to maintain the strength of the Army. He could not understand a patriotic Englishman opposing tho Mr. J. H. Thomas (Labour) the suggestion that the opponents of tho Bill were unpatriotic. A deep-ro°ted suspicion prevailed among the workers,that conscription was forced up on the Government not with the view of winning the war, but in response t° the demand of a certain section of newspapers. , Conscription always rete 1 progress. Mr. J. Redmond (Nationalist) directed attention to tlie sacrifices Irishmen had made and would continue The Nationalists would not support the Bill, although they previously supported every war proposal. Ireland thoroughly identifies herself with tho'Empire,-and was .determined as far as ner poor resources allowed to m a ko the fullest sacrifices to hasten a successful issue. All Irish members opposed the Bill. If Mr. Asquith was able to show that voluntaryism had broken down and compulsion was the only means possible of raising the necessary, men, nobody would allow personal or anti-conscription predilections to stand in the way. Mr. Bonar Law said that without Mr. Asquith's pledge tho -Derby scneme would have been an absolute failure. Any plain man looking at tho figures must see without a shadow of doubt- that the condition mentioned in Mr Asquith's pledge had now arisen.. If tho Houso decided that thero was no national necessity for the pledge Mr. Asquith \gould resign. Colonel Seelysaid he always believed that a voluntary army fought better, ah# it was undesirable to have a considerable proportion of . unwillinnmen, but the number of unwilling would be small, therefore the objection was untenable. They ought to support Lord Kiteliener and the Government. Colonel Seel.v repudiated tho vile suggestion that the Bill was a deep-laid capitalistic plot. , • Sir J. B. Lonsdale (Unionist) said the exclusion of Ireland was degrading and humiliating to that country, which had become the shirkers' refuge. Mr. J. Dillon (Nationalist) said Ireland had more than done its duty.' Irishmen did not need conscription to make them fight. Ireland was rightly excluded.. Ho opposed the Bill because it w : as not shown that thero was' any necessity or real reason for it. Mr. Asquith had been tripped into giving a pledge. ° The debate was adjourned. January 6, 9.45 p.m.) , London, January 6. The "Daily News" lobbyist predicts that a general election over compulsion is probable during the next few weeks. ' IRELAND EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE OF THE BILL. .. London, January 5. The Bill exempts conscientious objectors, workers of national importance, sole supporters of families, and oxcludes Ireland. Conscripts will liavo the same privileges as those enlisting under the Derby scheme. VIGOROUS PROTEST FROM IRISH UNIONISTS. London, January 5. There have been many sectional conferences of members of the House of Commons in view of Thursday's debate. Mr. J. Dillon attended the anti-conscriptionists' meeting. Sir' Edward Carson presided at tho Irish Unionists' meeting, which sent a resolution to Mr. Bonar Law and Mr. Asquith, declaring that tho exclusion of Ireland is an insult, and a huuiiliatidn of a loyal and patriotic people, and the abandonment of the principle of equality of sacrifice. LORD KITCHENER ON THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM. London, January 5. Earl Kitchener, speaking in the House of Lords, said that the voluntary system had been given the fullest and fairest trial, but without modification it was unequal to maintaining the army needed to secure victory. Continuing, Earl Kitchener said: — "Speaking to this House seventeen months ago, I stated on broad principles the military steps that I considered necessary to meet the emergency of war. That scheme was based on a definite plan, to secure by successive increases in our military strength an army commensurate with our power and responsibilities, with a proper • complement of reserves and-' reinforcements. The scheme also aimed at keeping up the army's effective strength in the field during the war. We further had to produce for the army thus created the guns, ammunition, and military material requisite to maintain its fighting value. This scheme has developed under the existing voluntary military service system. ,"I must say this system has given results far greater than most of us dared to predict, certainly beyond anything our enemies contemplated. Men ' in the early stages of the war responded to the call almost in embarrassing thousands. The steady flow of recruits was maintained until a few months ago, giving us men in as large numbers as we could train and equip. "It is necessary to keep up the large army we now possess by a constant supply of reserves replenishing the wastage of war. Recently, however, the numbers of voluntary recruits have ceased to ensure full provision for the necessary trainpd reserves. It is essential to redeem Mr. Asquith's pledgo in order to maintain tho voluntary principle as regards the service of married men in the future. "Personally, I had always hoped we_ would be able to finish the war successfully without changing a system which lias done so well and given such splendid material as the soldiers now fighting in the different theatres of the war. Ido not consider tlie_ proposed change should bo regarded in the light of any derogation of the principle of voluntary Sen-ice. It only affects during the period of tho war one class of men, amongst whom there is undoubtedly a certain number who have but a poor idea of their duties as citizens, and require some persuasion greater than an appeal to bring them to the colours. Whilst there 'are some shirkers in this class, there doubtless are many whose reasons for not joining will be found valid. lam far from wishing it thought that all to whom the new proposals apply can be described as - ■shirkers. Many of them probably have conflicting calls, and I will be only too happy if the Government should resolve tho doubts which they are unable to decide for themselves. "In making these remarks I speak as a soldier with a single eye to the successful conduct of the war, and feel sure everyone will agree that tho fullest and fairest trial was given to the system whiclr I found in existence, and of which I felt it my duty to make the best use. The Government is' now asking Parliament tn sanction a change in tho special circumstances of this utterly unprecedented struggle. The existing system without modifications is unequal to maintaining an army needed to secure victory." Lord C''ewe said: "The fact that a number of unmarried men have not attested is due to an imperfect realisation of the situation, rather than to n deliberate refusal to help tho country. The present proposals ought to excite no disunion cither in Parliament or the country. During the coming year tho most stupendous exertions must be (made by us and our Allies if' wo are to secure complete victory, which thero is every reason to believe will be ours."

LABOUR CONFERENCE TO OPPOSE COMPULSION. London, January 5. Tlio Executive of the South Wales mines will attend the National Conference on Thursday to oppose compulsion. [A cable message published on Monday stated: —The Labour Conference lias issued a statement to the effect that it has very fully discussed the. Government's proposal, and agreed that the importance of tlio issue is so serious that a decision on helm If of the Trades Union Labour movement could only be reached by a national conference representing tlio whole movement. 'J'liis lirh hren wimwoiieil tu mwl. in titHldcMl «H 3iHM'fd'iy, liftpr Mi'. A,wiiilt.lt lins wade his statement «i the House cf Commons. Mr, Gosling will prglsuU, Tha

proceedings will bo private, aud a statement will afterwards lie given to the ''ess. J lie larliamentary Labour Party concurred in the decision, particularJ,\ m view of the very pronounced resolution passed by tho Trades Union Congress in September. The members of the Labour Party are oxtremely reticent, but there are indications of prolonged controversial discussion. Some regarded the generous response of recruits sufficient to keep the authorities busy tinmmg them lor the next few months. Others urged that the Balkans campaign had considerably enlarged the requirements of the Army. It is expected that Labour will return, support to a modified form of compulsion, and ask for tiio concession of a further four weeks for voluntary enlistment before compulsion is applied. It is probable that Lord Kitchener will be invited to attend tlio Labour Conlorence on Thursday to explain the necessity for the compulsion of unmarried men.] DETERMINED. OPPOSITION OF RAILWAYMEN. (Rec. January 6. 9 p.m.) , London, January 5. J.iie \\ oncers iixecutive, representing three hundred thousand railwaynien, resolved to-day to go to any length to see that conscription did not become law. Labour believed conscription would result in a huge conspiracy. There bad not been a systematic canvass, and' therefore urged that tlie Derby 6cheme ■be reopened, and implored the Government to realise the dangers ahead. MINERS NOT TO BE REPRESENTED AT THE LABOUR CONFERENCE. (Rec. January 6, 8.50 p.m.) London, January 6. The Aimers' Conference Ms decided not to send- delegates, to to-morrow's •Labour Conference, but is summoning a National Miners' Conference for tho 1.3 th.