COMPULSION BILL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2764, 6 May 1916, Page 7

COMPULSION BILL

THROUGH SECOND READING 328 VOTES TO 36 MOTION OF REJECTION ■ ■" ! MR LLOYD GEORGE IN GREAT FORM By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. May 5, 10.55 p.m.) London, May 5. .The Military Service '■Bill has passed the second reading in tho House of Commons, tho voting being 328 for and 31) against. % Mr. Holt (Liberal) moved the rejection of the Military Bill on the ground that it tended to excessively develop the military side of our effort in tho war, and to make unjustifiable inroads on the work of tho 'individual. Our supremacy at sea was the most vital point in the' suocessf'uj prosecution of tlio war. ' If the Navy'lost its supremacy, twenty million men at the front would not save us from disaster. The Allies must more and rnoro depend upon "British credit; if' this was impaired, the Allies' campaign would fail and Prussian militarism would triumph. Mr. Lee-Smith (Liberal) seconded tho motion for rejectk n.

Mr. Lloyd Ceorge Replies. Mr. Lloyd George said he doubted whether those who were asking for the rejection' of tlie Bill realised the seriousness of their action. The military authorities said that the Bill mado tho, .difference between defeat and victory, and that they should secure the men immediately. He would rather be driven out of public life than have the responsibility of refusing his support. It was uutvuo that any man would be taken from essential national occupations. Ho had it on the best financial authority that we could outstay for. years any-' thiug that Germany could do. Tlio Government, after prolonged examination, had decided that it was absolutely essential to call up every available man and prepare him for the field.

The Task Before Us. . Mr. Lloyd George said that Germany was in possession of Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro, i and an important part of I'rance, with huge' forces in i'oland aud the Balkans. It was a fundamental axiom of military science that we could only drive out an entrenched foe by means of superior' numbers. • It was ti-uo that the Allies had an overwhelming superiority of men, therefore lie was confident of tho issue. -But wd must have a superiority of equipped men. Russia's comparative failure.last year was due to lack of equipment; and, although there had been an improve-' mont, until Russia was able to. fullv equip licr men, it 'was essential that Franco and Britain should put-evcry availablo man into the field forthwith; and the enemy should know it.

Mr. Lloyd Geoigo added: "The country as a .whole is favoured-witli-a measure whidli is not contrary to Liberal principles. No nation faced with 'a great military peril ever- saved itself without some sort of compulsion.. .This is truor of .democracies, than of autocracies. Britain is not so paralytic that she cannot demand tho services' of her citizens. France, Italy, and Serbia are defending themselves by compulsion. If anyone says that conscription is' against tho principles of true democracy they are talking in defiance of tile teaching of history and of common sense'." ::

"If," lie said, "we summoned men from 'the Empire to the colours, in the same proportion as lias France, we would still have a substantial margin to make lip before we slipuld have made the same! sacrifices as France lias made."- He did not want the Germans to make any mistake. He wanted them.to know that, iii order to make the difference between victory and'defeat, between liberty and submission to tho Prussian yoke, this country miist\summon the whole of its manhood; to. the colours. V It .was - "said that, if. we did, that there .-would' lie trouble amongst labour, i But the'wo'rking classes 'had accepted- the position, patriotically.. • ■ --

Mr. Lloyd' George, ill'.conclusionj. protested .against the talk about the attitude of the workers, as if tlio'y were not' an essential part of ..the .nation, and were only to. be regarded as doubtful neutrals who at any moment miglit be' converted into ,a, formidable foe. The workers knew that they would' lose more by Prussian domination than under any other class; tlie.v know that if the Kaiser triumphed it would but be tlie' beginning of war, for. humanity could not endure the yoke.'

A-' Great Speech., : Mr. Lloyd George had been so long: silent in the House that his. speech'was awaited with intense interest. ■ Ho spoke for three-quarters- of. an hour, full of passion, energy, and conviction, and said not one tford which suggested that he had gained a victory in tho Cabinet. On. the contrary, he referred, to tho Cabinet as a perfectly nnitefl body. His peroration deriouncingthose who represented the working classes'as neutrals was highly . effective, being greeted with long applause. Sir John Simon led tlie opposition to the Bill. He denied that it would increase our national»strength. J Mr. Arthur Henderson iVound up tho debate. He said that Lord Derby had estimated that there were 650,000 single men of military age. It was'now found that there wero 750,000. of .which number, the military authorities expected to obtain' 340,000,. and of whom- 187,726 were already with tlie jolours..

• DECLARES FOR UNLIMITED ENLISTMENT. (Rec. May 6, 0.30 a.m.) London, May 5. ■ The "Daily News" out tliat Mr. Lloyd George : has dissociated himself from Cabinet's limitation of the rcciuiting of'the unattested men .to 200,000, and declared, for 'Unlimited, enlistment.

CLOSE NET FOR THE SHIRKER , London, May.4. The Military Service Bill renders employers liable l'or having cligiblcs ill tlioir employ. .'.I lie'police arc empowered to challenge persons in the streets to produce their exemption certificates. SIR EDWARD CARSONENTERTAINED : .— ' - A CRITICISM OF SIR. ASQUITB

"AN 'APOLOGETIC STATESMAN " London, May 4, Sir Edward Carson was - given a luncheon by the Unionist War Committee. Ho said he.was glad of the introduction of the Military Bill. One of the Prime Minister's greatest delects was that, despite his great abilities, he ondeavourcd.. to apply . peace methods'and.party politics to'tho waging of war. He always abjectly auolo-

gised for his proposals. He was not enthusiastic about anything except his own defence,' arid.only applied Ins eloquence when the time arose to screen tho negligence and ineptitude of others. The outbreak in Ireland was due to tho fall of one of h : s own colleagues. Mr. Asquith had used the. bravery of the troops to. cover the. negiigcn'ce and. incompetence of his colleagues.

' OPINION IN FRANCE COMPULSION WELCOMED Br Telegraph-Presa Association—Copyright (Rec. Stay o, IQ.oo p.m.) Paris, May 5.' The French newspapers welcome the Military Service Bill. The Paris "Journal" attributes this' .reform to ,Mr. Lloyd Georgo's energy and the strength of his personality, which is daily growing clearer, and pays a tribute to Mr. Asquith's cleverness in avoiding defeat. M. Clemenceau (the French statesman), -.writing to "L'Homme Enchaine," says:. "Sir. Asquith's words, showing the effort which the British Empirohas made, will increase-France's assurance and confidence in our final success." , The "Journal des Debats," in a frank leader, oonchides: "The Allies have not a day to lose if they wish "for decisive successes in 1916. There is no longer time for a 'wait-and-see' policy. Active operations are ossential, and we are confident lhat we will carry them out." "L'lntransigeanfc," under the heading, "True Friends," asks Frenchmen who may be sceptical as to the extent of Britain's effort to recall -what the position would have been if Britain had maintained an attitude of "correct neutrality." a V

CONSCRIPTION CRY IN AUSTRALIA ACTING-PRIME MINISTER'S . . .VIEW. Melbourne, May 5. A deputation, representing Victorian municipalities, told ■ Senator Pearce (Acting-Prime Minister) that ninetyfour of the municipalities favoured compulsion, and-urged the Government to adopt it. The Minister replied that tho voluntary system was not a failure. Australia had dona better "than any other Dominion in the Empire. '