CABINET AND COMPULSION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2755, 26 April 1916, Page 5

CABINET AND COMPULSION

WAS THE CRISIS STAGEMANAGED? REPORTED VICTORY FOR COMPULSIONISTS LABOUR VIEWS By Telegraph—Preß3 Aseooiation— Copyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, April 24. A • well-informed anti-compulsionist, writing in the "Manchester Guardian," comments as follows: "The crisis has ended in complete victory for the compulsionists. Tlio reopenmg the Derby scheme means frothing more than'that the Asquith-Henderson group is satisfied with the sis weeks' postponement, which will inevitably be followed by conscription for tho married men. The sudden announcement of the settlement has created a good deal of _ scepticism about the reality of the crisis.. Experienced lobbyists state that it was stage-managed to frighten the Radicals and Labourites by raising the spectre of a general election. Another section believes that Mr. Asquith's statement was partly designed to save Wimbledon for the Government, with the result that thousands did not vote. It is believed that the measure will not apply to Ireland, for the simple reason that Ireland refuses to have compulsion.": PRESS THE SECRECY ORDER. London, April 24. The "Times" says that nearly all the tioubles of Mr. Asquith's . Administration have sprung from want of candour. The Order-m-Council, (the > Secrecy Order), in which he'now seeks refuge, is tj cloud everything deeper in mystery. The "Daily Telegraph" says that the attempt to destroy the Government by a campaign of invective has been carried to extremes. It hopes that the Government will firmly hold to its resolution to maintain tho secrecy of the Cabinet, but if Ministers fetter writers, speakers must keep a rigid guard on their own expressions., The "Daily Mail" says that the order means that the Premier has no hope of inducing Ministers to hold their ,tongues.' If there is any Cabinet leakage, it' must be due to the indiscretions of talkative Ministers. '("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. April 25, 6 p.m.) 1 London, April 24. The "Daily News" says: The question of further compulsion is second only to the issue regarding tho I'remier's authority. Cabinet has arrived at a t decision which does not necessarily correspond with any of the varying predictions, but it is difficult to believe thaf it will justify anything approaching the compulsionists' demands. When at the, outside compulsion oan procure a. further 300,000, it is difficult to assume that Cabinet will jeopardise our national unity. A LANCE FOR MR. LLOYD GEORGE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. April 25, 7.30 p.m.) London, April 24. Mr. R. G. Kellaway, M.P. who is secretary to Dr. Addison (Parliamentary Secretary *to the Ministry oi Munitions), in a letter to the Press defends Mr. Lloyd George, who, he says, has saved the Liberal Party twice from disaster during the last twelve months, In the early stages of the war, when the .financial position was most serious, no one would deny that Mr. Lloyd George had saved tho position; similarly, when the shortage of munitions cropped up,, he converted the country, Land's End to John o' Groat's, into one great arsenal. "Mr. Lloyd George," he says, "has now brought Cabinet to realise that if tho Germans are to be beaten, we must organise] our whole available manhood, The anti-Lloyd-Georgeans hope to drive him out of the Gabmet. Even if thej succeed, they caunot .prevent him fron being the real leader of the nation. His only crime is that he has seen clearei and sooner than his critics." LABOUR PROTEST : "A WAR OF ADVENTURE." London, April 24. At the Independent Labour Party Conference at Newcastle, four hundred 1 delegates were present. Mr. F. W. Jowett, president, in his address, declared that tho party had refused to assist tho Government in a war of adventure which was bound to be disastrous whatever the result of the military, operations. He protested against men' being compelled to fight whether or not they believed in the justice of the war. He predicted that the war would be followed by industrial strife if the skilled workers were dragged down tc the level of the unskilled, and women's labour cheapened the labour of men, oi tho capitalists so enriched thai tho workers would be .weaker- than before the war. LABOUR THE * / TRUTH. ("Times'Uand Sydney'"Sun" Services.) ■ ■ London, April 24. . Dr. Shadwell, a noted Labour student, writing to the "Times" on the question of compulsion, stated that the Labour unions would acquiesce if convinced that victory was impossible without compulsion. They were not yet convinced, because they had been stuffed with optimistic delusions, and had not been told the facts. Everything had been censored. Thinking that the war is nearly over, they regard compulsion as a dodge to emash the unions. "The workers do not need encouragement about the war; they only require the - material for forming a right judgment." ANTI-COMPULSION MANIFESTO IN AUSTRALIA Melbourne, April 25. The Trades Hall Council has circularised the- industrial organisations in the Commonwealth, stating that conscription means the dominance of military rule in industrial matters, the surrender of civil liberty, and the suspension and_ probably the abolition of all democratic institutions. ° OVERSEA PREMIERS IN THE CABINET PLEA FOR CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVILEGE. London, April 24. Lord Headloy, in a letter to the newspapers, suggests that legislation should be carried to enable the Premiers of Canada, Australia, Now Zealand, and South Africa to attend all Cabinet Councils. Their presence would have a freshening and rejuvenating influence on the deliberations. v ' , -