Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 5 June 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

SPEECH BY LLOYD QEORGE NEED OF MUNITIONS. A WORD FOR STATE CONTROL. Unitid Pbkbb Absooiatioh. London, June 3. Mr Lloyd George, accompanied by General Girouard and Lord Derby, addressed a private meeting at Manchester of a thousand makers of war munitions. .

Mr Lloyd George said he came as au emissary of State to carry the most urgent message ever told to a Manchester audience. It depended more upon the masters and the men running the workshops than on almost any section of the community whether Britain would emerge from this colossal struggle beaten, humiliated, stripped of power, honor and influence, and a mere bond-slave of a" crueh military tyranny, or whether she would emerge triumphant and free and more powerful than ever for good in the affairs of men.

Our Russian allies suffered a severe setback and the Germans achieved a great success, not because of the superior valor of her soldiers, but by pouring in thunder and showers of shot and shell. The Russian protecting trenches were demolished, yet when the Gcrmanas advanced there arose out of the shattered earth legions of dauntless men to face the foe. The German triumph was due entirely to superior equipment and overwhelming superiority in shot and shell munitions of war. The battle was won by skilled industries and the superior organisation of German workshops. Two hundred thousand shells were concentrated in a singel hour on the devoted heads of the gallant Russians. Had we been in the position to apply the same process to the Germans on our front they would have been turned out of France and well out of the country which they tortured and tormented with dastardly cruelty. More than that, we should actually have penetrated Germany, and the end of this terrible war would have been before us. He was not there to brandish great powers under tbe Defence of the Realm Act. To what extent and in what direction the moral duty that each citizen had to give his best to the State should be converted into a legal duty would be decided as necessity arose.

There was a great discussion over conscription. We "ere discussing it as if we were discussing land reform ' or Home. Rule in leisure and tranquility. One could not argue under shell fire; one could only decide. But the introduction of compulsion as an important element in organising the nation's resources in skilled industry did not necessarily mean conscription in the ordinary sense. We had saved the liberties of this, land more than once by compulsory service, but all the same it was a great mistake to frWrt to it unless it was absolutely necessary. Dealing With recruiting, he said the' numbers raised on a voluntary basis wvi-e far ahead of equipment; ft would be a proud thing to say at the end of the war that without compulsion we had done something no other country badl&rer done. (Cheers). We were the worst organised nation in the world for this war. He was not sorry for that, because it was our defence in history that when war came it 'would be judged that the

proof that we were innocent lay in the fact that we did not prepare.

Mr Lloyd George said the nation needs all its machinery and all its skill available to turn out munitions and equipment. The employer must

be subject to complete State control, and the hitter's control must be for [the benefit of the State and not for increasing the profits of any industrial or private organisation. We must increase the mobility of labor, and have a greater subordination of labor to the same control. The workers passed a resolution pledging themselves to support the efforts to increase the output of munitions. THE ONLY WAY TO WIN. ALL MUST PULL TOGETHER. (Received 8.50 a.m.) . .; London, June 4. Addressing the Dockers' Battalion at Liverpool, Mr Lloyd George said:— "There never was a war in which Labour at Home counted so much. If the country becomes disorganised and does not pull with the Government and the State, the result will be that the whole war machine will get clogged, broken, and disorganised, and the end will be that we will be defeated—not because the soldiers are not valiant, for they are a s brave as ever—not because they are not fighting skilfully, but because they are not getting the necessary support at Home. The fact , that you have submitted to military conditions shows that you are prepared to do your duty to your country in the greatest crisis that has ever befallen it. If everyone does bis duty as you are doing, we shall win through in , the end." THE BRITISH ARMY. PICK OF OUR MANHOOD NOT YET FIGHTING. Times and Sydney Sun Service. (Received 8 a.m.) London, June 4. The Times' military correspondent says: "Our armies are steadily improving in physique. The pick of our manhood is not yet fighting. There is a tremendous strain on Germany, who is losing at the rate of seven men a minute, there having been 3,000,000 casualties monthly, and the original enemy has disappeared. The recruits cannot maintain the standard of physical excellence, as they are callow youths and fathers of families. THE NEW GOVERNMENT. AN HISTORIC SESSION. London, June 3. An historic sitting of the House of Commons passed off quietly. Many of tbe new Ministers were absent pending the passage of the Bill abolishing the necessity of re-election. Privy Councillors and other leading Unionists occupied the front Opposition bench. Mr H. Chaplin acted as leader, unofficially, of the Opposition section. f The Radicals sharply critical 'of the He-election Bill, which was sent [to the House of Lords after an amendment was made confining its operation ■to the present crisis. I A Bill creating a Ministry of Munitions was then introduced. The suggested appointment of Mr J. H. CarapIbell as Irish Lord Chancellor is arousing intense opposition in Nationalist circles.

NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

TIMEH AND tiXUNBk »UN S»KVIO». . Loudon. June 3. ! The Times, commenting on the first meeting of the new Government, says the country wants a strong Government which will wage the war vigorously. The Times welcomes the establishment of the Department of Munitions, and declares the relatives of the wounded feel the gross unfairness of unorganised effort. There is nothing democratic in allowing men who constitute themselves the privileged class to be exempt from a share in 'the public sacrifice. The case for national service is so clear and fair that 'the Times does not believe there will ,be any serious opposition. The Times doubts whether it is necessary to talk of compulsion. All decent men and [women looking on know best how to 'serve their country, and love is awaiting a clear call.

Le Temps comments that the British resolution not to shrink from sacrifice was never stronger, and predicts that the Ministry is an intermeuiary step which will prepare public opinion.

PREMIER VISITS FRANCE.

GREAT RECEPTION FROM MEN. AMUSING INCIDENT OF THE BATH. Uwttw Pe*m Abbodutios. (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, June 4. Renter states that the Premier (Mr Asquith) this week visited the headquarters in France, using a fast motor car, and visited an eminence, whence he was able to trace the firing line. Me addressed one brigade, emphasising the deep appreciation of those at home who were following the doings of the men at the Front. The Premier saw quaint scenes during his visit to Drew, where enormous vats had been converted into baths, each accommodating twelve. When Mr Asquith arrived scores of naked men jumped out and cheered the Premier. Mr Asquith conferred with the British commanders. The Premier, who had a great reception from, the Indians and Canadians, has returned to London. RE-ELECTION OF MINISTERS' BILL. (Received 9.50 a.m.) London, June 4. The re-election of Ministers' Bill has passed the House of Lords and has received the Royal assent. THE SPY MENACE. A SENTENCE OF DEATH. (Received 12.50 p.m). . London, May 4. The Press Bureau states that at the trial at the Old Bailey, heard in camiera before the Chief Justice and -Justices Avbry and Lush, Muller, a German spy, was sentenced to death by ; shooting, and Halm was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. LABOR MANIFESTO. HINT OF GIGANTIC INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE. THE INCREASED COST OF LIVING (Received 12.20 p.m.) London, June 4. The management committee of the General Federation of Trades Unions ; has issued a manifesto hinting at the possibility of a gigantic industrial dispute in Lancashire. The manifesto i states that some manufacturers, feeling the pressure of artificially-inflat-ed coal prices, are talking of shutting down their factories. Throughout Lancashire the workpeople are demanding bonuses to meet the increases in the cost of living. The manifesto regrets the Government's failure to deal effectively with food and coal prices and the war profits, but urges the men to avoid industrial disputes.