Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 8, 11 January 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

MORE MEN WANTED. “I SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER, NOT AS' A CONSCRIPT.” *, “ ■ * LORD ROSEBERY’S ADVICE. I [Bt Elioteio Tbugbaph—Ooptbight] [•United Press Association.] London, January 10. Lord Rosebery, speaking at Dalkeith, said: “Great Britain and Germany are fighting with their hacks to the wall. Unless sufficient recruits are forthcoming under the voluntary system, some form of compulsory enlistment will be unavoidable.” That would not be unwelcome to the great mass of his countrymen, who would willingly accept the Imperial mandate, hut who thought it unfair that they should be singled out for active service while others remained at home. If the. rule were applied to all equally, there would he less reluctance. But it must be remembered that the position of those enisting voluntarily before any compulsion was used would be widely different from those enlisting thereunder.

Every able-bodied man would do well to realise that fact while there was war: “I served as a volunteer, not as a conscript.” “Victory such as we desire is only achievable by pushing millions against the millions of Austrians and Germans. The very thought of brothers or friends, waist-deep in frozen water, fighting for the Empire’s existence, ought to be sufficient to call everyone to go. There ,is not the slightest doubt that the Allies will ultimately be victorious.”

DEBATE IN THE LORDS. ENORMOUS DIFFICULTIES OF THE TASK. London, January 9. The Army debate was raised in the House of Lords on Lord Middleton’s questioning the Government on the condition of recruiting. Lord Lucas declined, in the jniblic interest, to supply the figures. Lord Sel borne asked the Government to impress on the people the immense gravity and enormous difficulties of the country’s task. The more the Government took the people into their confidence the more resolute would they be. All they wanted was the Whole truth, however unpleasant. Lord Haldane said: “We are fighting for our life, under circumstances which make it the duty of every Englishman to put all the values into the scale. There is no reason to anticipate a breakdown in the system. As soon as the enemy is found to be using a new type of gun, the Government immediately produces its equivalent. No efforts or resources will be spared to bring the war to a successful conclusion.”

Lord C urzon complained that the Home Office had countermanded the military order to remove aliens from the east coast. He was content Jto accept Lord Haldane’s declaration regarding compulsory service. hu f »rged )tho Government to tako the prolimin ary measures to prevent chaos if compulsory service was required. Lord Crewe, replying to Lord CurKon, said severe penalties ought to 1)6 inflicted upon Sir Roger Casement if the facts were as alleged. Lord Crewe pointed out that any system of recruiting which caused the cessation of industry might nrove more disastrous to the sucre ;s of Bntisn arms than failure to put so many men in the field.

TIMES COMMENT. THE PROSPECTS OF FUTURE PEACE. (Received 8.25 a.m.) London, January 11. The Times,, in a leader, says: “It is .unlikely this war will be the last war’, while it is not even likely a long reign of peace will follow, in which the human relations can make a permanent advance. Unless there is a definite constructive effort to secure this, there will be a danger of using optimism as a crutch instead of a spur, letting slip the opportunities by which alone our hopes and ideals will be realised. Let us take the trouble to discover what the elements of German culture are, and whether they are sound and needed as contributions' to onr common European life.”

THE ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN. EX-AMBASSADOR’S TRIBUTE. (Received 8.20 a.m.) New York, January 10. Mr J. H. Choate, former Ambassador to Britain, in a speech, said Britain was determined never to submit to yield, and never to make peace until the devil of militarism was so vanquished that he would never ti'ouble the earth again. British courage and the spirit of hope was magnificent, 'and nothing' was grander than the attitude of the wives and daughters towards the war. KING'AND QUEEN VISIT WOUNDED SOLDIERS.

VISIT GIVES PLEASURE TO THE PATIENTS. (Received 8.25 a.m.) London, January 10. The King and Queen visited 1100 wounded Indians at Brighton, and were touched by the scene. Many conversed freely with the King, and the smiling faces all testified to the grateful pleasure •of the visit. Their Majesties also visited the British and Belgian wounded.

RECRUITING RATE RISING. (Received 9.5 a.m.) London, January 10. During the past week there h is been an increased rate o£»i-ecruiting in London, Manchester, Burnley and Wolverhampton. FOOTBALLERS’ BATTALION. (Received. 9.30 a.m.) London, January 10.

Six hundred joined the Footballers’ Battalion, including many well-known amateurs and professionals.