COMPULSION?

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2748, 17 April 1916, Page 5

COMPULSION?

ARMY'S NEED BECOMES ' BIG ISSUE __ rSi'X... ;; IMPORTANT STATEMENT PENDING PUBLIC PRESSURE ON CABINET .; By Tolosrapn—Press As6ociation— Copyright (Rec. April 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 14. Tie conscription issue has become .one of tho most important. Cabinet , this afternoon considered the Army Council's statement regarding its re. ; quiremeuts for the Army, in view o! : ■ Mr. Asquith's promised announcement in the House of Commons nest week. ' It is reported that there are acute dif- . ferences in tho Cabinet in respect to the steps necessary to fill the s Army - Council s requirements. The newspapers give prominence to the "Manchester Guardian's" state. ; ment that "it is likely that the cbn-,j i scription wedge will be driven home.' 1 Even Liberals who are opposed to compulsion expect that Mr. Asquith will- j meet the compulsionists half-way by ; promising legislation. extending _ com. \ pulsion to youths as they arrive at . military age. It is ako probable that compulsion for married men will be proposed afterwards, though this would "' be more difficult and more unpopular. ' ' Cabinet is not merely being hustled : by tho display of more "ginger" on the part of the Commoners and the news, papers; the "Manchester. Guardian" '. suggests that the change in Mr. As. ; quith's attitude may be due to the pres. ■ sure of our Allies. ._ . Lord Derby, speaking at tho Guild-, hall, said that three things were equally imperative in order to win tho warmen, "money, and munitions. It would be easy to take all the single men, but it would be the ruin of industry. Be. ■ hind tho minds of many of his critics was tho feeling that he could have has- ; tened general compulsion by resigning, but this would have been a betrayal of his trust. "Universal service _ will come," he declared, "if Mr. Asquith. is.'"convinced that the military necessities of tho nation require it." ; , AMPUTATION FROM THE ;; " BIARRIED'S UNION" .. , . ' London, April 14. _ i In recoiving a deputation on the attt. : ; tude of the Married Men's Union,-Mr i Asquith said he ■ had [' grave"..do'ubtt \. whether he should receive it, because ; [i meetmgs of the union had-cast-unwar-ranted: charges arid imputations, against I himself and Lord Derby.:,He:had every ; , sympathy with the -legitimate _ grievances of the married men, but'he regarded thi3 agitation as deplorable at a..: ' time like this. He believed the vast , majority of the married men had attest- • ' ed from pure patriotism; but he_ de- ; clined to believe that the vast majority ! claimed release from their'-oblig'atibns': ' CONSCRIPTION MOVEMENT IN ; CANADA (Rec. April 15) 3 p.m.) 1 ' . i ' Ottawa, April 14. > A strong conscription movement 3 been started in Canada. Sir Robert -. • Borden (Canadian ' swering a deputation declared that the j; Government was not ready to adopt the 1 New Zealand registration system, but " woidd consider the matter. • Canada \ 3 had already raised 300,000 men, and the recruits now exceeded'-• one thousand per day.