Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 22, 31 December 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

THE BRITISH CABINET. United Press association. London. December 29. The resignation of certain members of the Cabinet is considered inevitable. Most newspapers regard the position, complacently, and anticipate that the opposition will subside in the face jf Mr Asquith’s explanation on Tuesday and the peculiar needs of the situation. The general impression is that the entire Cabinet must accept che responsibility of the pledge, though opinion is divided as to whether the pledge was necessary or wise. Neither a break-up of the Government nor an election is now feared. In the event of Messrs McKenna, Runciman, and Har court and Sir John Simon resigning it is considered that the National Government "ill survive, as it will not be greatly diminished in strength. Some papers consider that there will be no change in the majority against jompulsion in the House of Commons, md legitimate discussion on details is expected. The position at the moment is that the Government is decided on compulsion, but is not decided regard’ng exemptions. It transpires that there was a larger majority against conscription than was expected, and it includes Mr Henderson, Lord Kitchener, and Mr Balfour, whose predilection for the voluntary system is well-known. Other questions that the public are discussing are the possibility of Cabinet resignations and the voting strength of the Opposition in the Commons. It is understood that Mr McKenna bases his opposition partly up on a personal doubt as to the size of the xrmy that Britain requires to win the war, and partly to the financial commitments. Mr Runciman regards the volume of trade as an indispensable factor to war equipment. Messrs McKenna's and Runciman’s supporters generally anticipate their resignations, but Mr Asquith has a wonderful knack of keeping his flock together. French and Italian newspapers applaud the Cabinet’s decision on the [ recruiting problem. Interest in Britain is concentrating on the action that Labor is likely to take over the mater. The Conference qneets to-day. representing the Laboi party, the Trade Union Congress, and the Trade Union Federation. 'The Cabinet meeting arranged for to-day- has been postponed to Friday. It is suggested that this was done to enable Cabinet to consider Labor’s attitude.

The Daily News recalls Labor’s anticonscription resolutions, and adds that the situation has changed. The paper trusts that the Labor conference will not be influenced by the sharp practices of the compulsionists. , If it is found that the facts justify the Cabinet’s decision the Daily. Mail hopes that the Labor leaders will remember their own manifesto in the newspapers in October. The gravest responsibility attaches to anyone stirring up strife after the Cabinet’s decision. LABOfr . ANd”CONSCRIPTION. London, December 29. Labors;, .position is keenly watched, as the decision cantfe as an unpleasant shock. In view of the latest estimates that possibly 750,000 unmarried men have not, attested, it is anticipated that many Laborites who were formerly violent anti-conscriptionists will have modified their views, and will be prepared to sanction compulsion, realising that the Government has no other course. A Labor conference is expected to be held during the next few days, when Mr Henderson will explain the information that has influenced the Cabinet. The result of the conference will probably disclose a growing opinion in favor of temporary compulsion. Mr C. W. Bowerman comments:— “Two million volunteered, and it is an insult land outrage to the country to talk of conscription. The Merthyr election was regarded as a significant pointer to Labor’s changed attitude of viewing conscription, which was bad, but defeat will be worse. It has been discovered that in districts in which men have held back there is abundance of work at high wages.

PRESS COMMENT. London. December 29. It is still believed in some quarters that actual conscription is unnecessary, and that a compromise will probably yet suffice. The Westminster Gazette hopes that compulsionists will not regard the Government’s decision as a triumph for their principles, but purely as an emergency war measure.

The Evening Ntws say* that the

traditional objections to compulsion have been swept aside by the revelations of the war and the Empire’s need for a movement to necessary victory. The Globe says that only fools and fanatics will question the justice of the decision, which will have the desirable effect. The Allies are realising that England is at last warring in earnest. The Evening Standard believes that the decision is thoroughly popular in the country generally, ! The Pall Mall Gazette says that the I method most favored is to compel unjmarried men to attest under Lord Derby’s group scheme within a fixed period, and thu s volunteers and conscripts will be placed in the same position. The King, in a letter to Lord Derby; says; “We must now work in connection. A s the King’s appeal to recruits is now over, bis Majesty hopes that every man who is entitled to it will wear an armlet as proof that he will follow his countrymen in response to the call.” The Daily Chronicle says that the situation has eased, and the crisis may pass without resignations. Sir E. Grey, who specially dreads any weakening of the solidarity of the nation, is endeavouring to act as conciliator, hut much depends upon Messrs McKenna and Runciman, whose withdrawal would cause a grave situation. Their retention will facilitate a smooth passage for the Compulsion Bill. The Manchester Guardian, in a leading article, summing up the position, says: “A considerable body or Radical opinion says that we recognise for the purposes of the present war that Britain is no longer an island, and wo must meet Continental armies with an army on a Continental scale. We admit that compulsion may be necessary in certain circumstances, but we are not going to accept it on demand and clamor; we are not going to be hustled into conscription. Lord Derby’s scheme has not yet been fully utilised and analysed.”

A SOLDIER IN DISGRACE. ALLEGED THEFT OF £20,000 (Received 9.5 a.m.) December 30. Robert Mills Simpson, who was wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant-: Colonel in the Canadian Army Medical Corps, was remanded at Bow Street., on a charge of stealing £20,000, the King’s property, at Manitoba.