AUSTRALIA'S CALL FOR MEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 201, 14 May 1918, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S CALL FOR MEN

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S RECRUITING CONFERENCE FRAGMENTS FROM THE DEBATE It is just as well {hat hope springs eternal In the human breast. If it did not, unyoiiq might hv filled with despair all reading the. debates cf the Gover-nor-General's Conference (observes the Sydney "Sun"). J'or several days Nationalists and the representatives of political Labour argued and wrangled, sitnl finished by passing a resolution •which jii the light of their discussions ten only, be regarded cs camouflage. With, few exceptions, none of the delegates attained his full stature as a speaker, or as a patriot. It is painfully evident that the Labour delegates entered tho conferonco filled with gloomy suspicions as to irs purpose. Very soon they more than hinted that it had been convened to catch them in a trap constructed by Mr. Huglus. But nono who roads the'debate with an impartial inmd can discover the faintest justification for this insinuation. Ou the contrary there is overflowing measure ot proof that the Prime Minister and Ins colleagues deliberately set out to rewove all the disabilities which tho Labour delegates declared wero militating against recruiting, but the more they offered, the more the Labour delegates asked, without ever once giving any delinite undertaking that in return they ivould face their unions, plead with them to unite in obtaining reinforcements, and stake thoir public life upon the appeal.

Boiled down, tbo protracted talking amounted to this-that Federal Ministers offered to speedily rectify stated grievances, provided that Labour, organisations agreed to thereupon speed up recruiting. Labour delegates, howevor, ftrst insisted that they Lad always been active recruiting agents is voluntaryists, »ind that the matters to bo remedied •were political offences committed by the 'Federal Ministry, which must acknowledge its fiina and confecs its wickedness. L'Vi'tor it had done that, and --.fter State Ministries; similarity situated, had reestablished unionism on tho lines dewed, then would Labour rlelegntes go to the organisations and suggest that they nhould earnestly participate in securing reinforcements. But to these conditions- there ivaj still another string— ■that conscription should be finally abandoned. That is to say, in no circumstances should compulsion be applied to able-bodied eligibles. The following rxcor'pts reveal .it a glance tho tone and temper in whijh .they were conducted:— Under German Rule. Mr. Holiuan: Suppose the Allies also iincamp war-weary of protecting Australia. What, then, would be the position? _ Mr. Morby (N.S.W.): I will be quite frank with the conference, and say" fhat ia worse condition, under our Bitterest enemy, could hardly exist than obtains sit prusent in eomo industrial circles iii lAuscralia. Mr. Beeby: Do not talk like that. MY. Morby; I am not.talking nonsense, u am face to face with tho facts. . Mr. Peake: Do you think the women of Australia would accept such an alternative? Mr. Morby: It is not my alternative. [I was asked a question, and I have answered it. I do not want the conference to understand, however, that I prefer (o «! under German rule-' Not at all. German rule Is no good to me. J! liavc seen it in operation.in Germany. "Tho Last Man." Mr. Sculiin (Victoria): It ie also true that there is In this community a feeling that wo are asked to drain Australia of her last man, while other parts of the [world aro holding back. Mr. Peake: Thai was promised" on your *eiialf by .Mr. Fisher. ■ - ■..■■.-..; "ur. Kcullin: I aril not concerned with (ivhat Mr. Fisher promised. ■. " -'■ Mr. I'eako: But lie wus your leader. JVII , . Sculiin: The promise made .by Mr. ' T'isher was one of Uioso rhetorical phrases that aio sometimes indulged In at election time 'oven by the honourable gentleman himself. ,

"Get Into the Collar." Mr. Hughes: We say, "Give us this cordial co-operation, and all these things slinU be added unto you." Mr. H-yan: And ive say, "Give us all theso things, and yon will gel the coGpwalion automatically."

Mr. Hughes: Nothing lliat I or any<ino else could Bay or do would prevent 'Mr. Tudor or Mr. Stoey doing all they can to get recruits. But I say also plainly and distinctly that the great organisations of labour nre not putting llioir full weight into the collar. Mr. Tudor: .Why?-: Mr. Hughes: You say it is because of tio-nnu-so, good. Mr. Ryan: I do not admit it at nil. Mr. Hughes: 11 your arguments are mutually destructive, how do you expect ma to reply to them. Mr. .Tudor has set down, in his opinion, why that is the case. Very tvell, we say, "You cive us that cordial*co-operation of labour, and these things which you say

are r Preventing it will be. swept away." ' first" T Say ' " S,VOSI) IIIL,W i,vay Mr. Hughes: But you ;,r 0 not in a position to guarantee us oiw :iun or ono oiga nidation. Mr. Morby: But wo me in (lie positiou, if they were swept aw.-.y, to give von a guarantee that we would i so our'infmence in so doing, and n l le.ist that is of soiuo value, Whatever Happons-No Conscription. Mr liyan (Q.) : I ca nnot forget—and I am airaul a. large number cf tho people do not lorgot—previous pronouncement* made on tho question of conscription. 1 do not want to souncj * discordant note or to bo offensive to cnyone, but in tho past there have been a number of pronouncements which the pwipis of Australia beiievo were departed r >om. In other words, they beiievo they were deceived. Consequently there must be some unequivocal pronouncement ui the question if they are to accept it in the spirit in which J. si'.ould like it to bo accepted. I am anxious to have it impressed on the minds of the peoplo that there is no fear of consmptm.

Senator Fairbairn; Wonl.l you object, in a ease of extreme danger to the Empire, to tho peoplo being ngun asked for their opinion as to the introduction of conscription?

Mr. Byan: Yes; 1 adhere to the wording of our suggestion. I think Unit any additional number of rpcnijU that you might get by conscription—if _ou could get any additional number—would be more than counterbalanced by the drawbacks to that system.

Mr. Joseph Cook: Supposing public opinion onesido changed, nd became unmistakably in fn.ic.ur cf conscription? Mr. Ityan: Who is to be the judge of whether or not public opinion has changjed!,. Thtj Ooiiimcinirealtli Government can ' clearly say thr.t so far ;\s tho present I Administration, at all events, is concerned, there will be no conscription—that they would t'o out of oHice rather than introduce it. Something of the kind was, 1 know, said before, and it was described as a mere idle threat. Mr. Pritchari: Do net you think it conceivable that circumstances might arise under which the question mig'it bn open to review? Mr. Ryan: I cannot conceive of any set of circumstance.) in wiiich the question of conscription for service overseas could ba open to review.. Mr. Hughes: You we in favour of arbitration for the seltlenitni of international disputes? Mr. Hyaii: \ r es. Mr. Hughes: Without any qualification? Mr. Ryan: Carry your argument, further. I want to see what your next j proposition is. J Mr. Hughe;: Of course, bul the.principle is on the Labour platform. Air. fiyiui: i believe in tho adjustment of international disputes in that way. Mr. Hughes: It is on the platform, therefore, you must believe in it. Mr. Ryan: l'roc«ed. ■Mr. Hughes: Supposing you were naked to submit to international arbitration by auy tribunal on this earth the question of a White Australia, and to afade by its decision, would you do it? Mr. Ryan: That is quite a different matior. . If the Government say: "We are not prepared to finally abandon conscription " Mr. Hughes: I do nol say that we are nol. Mr. Byan: Well, aay where you are. Mr. Hughes: I say that we. have accepted the verdict of the people, unciKave nailed the policy of voluntarism to the mast. Having done that, we call upon the people of Australia to make it a .success, and that is why we are hero today.

Mr, rtynn: Does that mean that conscription tor. service overseas is finally abandoned during tho wui ? Mr. Hughos: I can concciv it possible that there might arise circumstances in which you would be one qi the first to take the platform along with me to advocate conscription, and do even more than that. . . . There van bo nothing that would so galvanise tho public oi Australia, apathetic, half dead, into aotion and earnest; endeavour as would a unnnimr.us declaration by this conference of thn I's'ril in which w« stand, and of the diiififininalini) of all sections to do their uttermost. That is the position, tnd I want to know what you will do.! You know my*,position perfectly well. You know its strength ami its weakness, just as 1 know your own. lam not marching at tho head of troops who will, if J merely hold up my finger, do this or that without regard to their own interests. Neither are you. lam going, however, to speak for myself. Whatever is necessary 1 will do, as far as,* speaking for myself, it can He (lone. I ask you to do the Never mind what tho'conse. ({liences may be to you a< individual. Never mind how your organisations may differ from you, 1 ask you to face the music.

A Violent Member. Mr. Morhy (N.S.W.): Mr. Heeby asked —or, I think, perhaps it was interjection by Mr. Holman— if we would be prepared to make members of (he bogus unions eligible for membership of the old unions in the event of tho dercgistration of the former. Of course, I cannot answer that. It. is purely a matter for-the unions to decide for themselves. Mr. Peake: Would you recommend it? Mr. Morby. You have asked mo a pertinent question, Mr. Peake, and I say quite frankly, as far as I am personally concerned, I say "No!" Mr. Beeby: But in the new railway union in New South Wales there are 4000

men. Bo you mij- tbat they should be deprived or all uiiuii riylita—that they should be dere b 'bter«l, and not allowed to join the old union 't

ill-. Morby: JJepnvfd of'union rights, did you say? J. bhould like you to explain, what you mean.

Mr. Ueeby: bupyoso wo dercgUter that union, which you call a bojjas oi-aui-salion, would you allow its members the light to go into the old union? Jlr. Mgrby: 1 have stated that that is purely n. matter for tuc local people. 1 cannot decide that question. .Senator .Plain: You said personally mat you would object. Air. Morby: Yes; 1 was then replying to a question asked by Mr. Poako and 1 said that personally I certainly would not have anything to do with them. Mr. l'eake: Then what would become of them?

Mr. Jlorby: I am not concerned what becomes of them, for the reason they weio not concerned what became of the men, wumou, and children whose places tlicv took.

Jlr. l'eake: That is paying them in klnti.

Mr. Mor'oy: I am not concerned wihat wcomos of them. They can go to hell, lhat is the only position Mr. Peake: Would you eend 4MO men to hell?

Mr. Morby: I am a com para lively new chum in this country, but I hare not wasted my time. I have spent much of my time in research, and if I chose J could quote statements made bv our illustrious Premier (Mr. Holman)" bearlug on exactly the same proposition, and not many years back, cither. Mr. Peake: That is not the point. Would you send MOO men to hell because they would not agree with you? Mr. Jlorby: No, not because of that, but because they are vultures on societv.

Mr. Holman Offers to Volunteer.

On the final day Mr. Tudor submitted a motion from which any reference to recruiting was carefully omitted, and in doing this h> bUnkly exposed the motive which moved him by faying, "It has been suggested that in order Hint it may appear that we have arrived at a unanimous decision ro record should bo taken of this discussion."

Mr. Hughes instantly described it as "an epitaph upon our efforts," and "calculated to do untold harm in (he coinniunilv."

Mr. Tlolman interposed, and said: "We ask you not to bargain, but lo stand up rs citizens And have the courage to say to your fellow trade unionists what you eay here—that they ought to go into 'the irendie*."

Senator Gardiner interjected: "Why do you Hoi say to (hem, "Come into the trenches?"' to which Mr. Holman retorted, "I will, if necessary. I am not over the new military ago, nnd om propared to do as much us anyone." Whereupon Senator Gardiner apparently bridled and remarked, "Do nol; suggest a want of courage on our part!" and Mr. Holman responded, "But. .1 do."'

And that was tho note on which the conference ended.