Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 18, 24 December 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

SCENES IN .THE COMMONS. VOTE FOR MILLION MEN. United Phkbh Association. London, December 22. The vote for a million men was carried amidst most remarkable scenes. A body of Liberals at midnight demanded an adjournment, alleging that it was a scandal that a decision of such importance should be left to a starved jury. Mr Arthur Lynch alleged that the impotence of the leaders had nullified ♦ the valor of the troops again and again.

Mr Outhwaite denounced the unnecessary operations at Gallipoli and elsewhere, when it was obvious that the war would be decided on the Western front.

Mr Joseph King said that the next grp at attack on the West was more likely to succeed since Sir John French had resigned. A single Cabinet Minister and three under-secretaries were by this time nodding on the Treasury liencheg, and Commoners were snoring on their benches. Some were fetched out of their beds at the National Liberal Club io make up a quorum. The malcontents repeatedly moved for an adjournment, but the Government was adamant.

Mr Dalziel said that hundreds of thousands of lives had been wasted by the stupidity of the War Office. Generals who were responsible for men dying of thirst at Suvla were still in command.

Mr McKenna displayed wonderful endurance and was full of fight to the last, iHe secured the vote after a fourteen hours’ struggle and strain. Mr Asquith said that Lord Derby’s report will be considered by the Cabinet on Wednesday, and he could not hold out any hope of making a statement before the adjournment of the House.

RECRUITING FIGURES. REMARKABLE RESPONSE IN BRITAIN. * ■,>, , j, : .p [United Press Association.] (Received 7 3U a m.) London, December 23. Mr J. O’Grady, Labor member for East Leeds, has written to the Daily Sketch, stating that until the end of November the response to. Lord-. Derby \s recruiting scheme was satisfactory. Then the authorities resolved on a great rally, with the result that the figures jumped from 74,000 m one day to 336,000 on the next. During the last week 1,539,000 attested, while during the whole campaign two and a-half millions attested.

MISCELLANEOUS, .ITEMS.. London, December 22. ' 5 Truth says that Mr Lloyd George’s speech on Monday was the last word in a keen, if polite, struggle which has been proceeding for months, ihe speech obviously provokes the Ministerial situation, and it is not easy to see how Mr Lloyd George and Lord Kitchener can remain in the same Cabinet. The most complete arrangements have been made to ensure the Australians and New Zealanders a cheery Christmas. The bulk of those in England have been granted libei ri. Many are in hospitals, where there will be lavish Christmas fare. Over two thousand will be entertained at the theatres on Friday, and a similar number will be guests of friends and relatives. One hundred New Zealanuers will dine at the Midland Hotel, and continuous entertainments are arranged at the Anzac Buffet. Manj will dine at boarding-houses in Bloomsbury, where they will be treated as star boarders. The colonials will miss the sunny Christmas weather, as London is damp and cheerless. The third reading of the Munitions Bill was postponed till January 4.

The Parliament Bill was toad a third time.

The Manchester Guardian says that Mr Asquith’s speech burked the real issues, and its success was purely rhetorical. The Evening News states that the Government has thrice postponed ilu announcement for which the Empire is waiting with the greatest anxiety.