Great Britain
GROUPS TO BE CALLED IN FEBRUARY. [United Press association.] London, January 4. The uett attestations, after deducting those starred as rejected and un:>it. is estimated at 343 386 unmarried men and 487,626 marr.cd men. Lord Derby's groups, six to nine, of the ages of <j2 to 20, will be called up oil February 8. LORD kRASSEY AND "THE SUNBEAM." (Received 8..50 a.m:) Delhi, January 5. Lord Bassoy has given the Sunbeam to India to be fitted as a, hospital ship. The Sunbeam is the famous yacht in which Lord Brassey journeyed to and from Victoria when Governor, and holds the record for a yacht for the number of miles covered. "The voyage of the Sunbeam." written by Lady Brassey, records an uujrestuig voyage round the world.
LABOR ON CONSCRIPTION.
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY.
(Received 8.50 a.m.) London, January o
Independent Laborites and a handful of anti-Gonscriptionist Liberals below the gangway led a demonstration against Mr Lloyd George, and gloated over the hostile reception. The Clyde Munitions Bill was read a third time.
Mr Lloyd George argues that a restriction of the mobility of Labor is absolutely essential to victory, the task of turning out munitions being more serious than he dared tell. He repudiated the statement that the Government had treated the workers' opinion as negligible. Lord Kitchener will make a statement on recruiting in the House of Lords on Wednesday.
Many sectional conferences have been held in the House of Commons in view of Thursday's debate.
' Mr" J. Dillon (Nationalist M.P. for Mayo. Ireland), attended anti-con-scriptionists' meeting. Sir .Edward Carson presided at the Irish Unionists' meeting, which sent a resolution, to Mr Bonar Law, and Mr Asquith declaring that the exclusion of, Ireland was an insult and humiliation to a loyal and patriotic people, and constituted the abandonment of the principle of equality of sacrifice. The executive of the South Wales Miners will attend Thursday's conference and oppose compulsion.
BRITISH PREMIER'S OPINION.
"NO CASE FOR GENERAL COM-
PULSION."
(Received 9.45 a.m.) London, January 5. The Clyde Munitions Bill exempts conscientious objectors, workers of national importance, and sole supporters, excludes Ireland, and .gives conscripts the same privileges as the Derbyites. Mr Asquith stated that he was personally of the opinion that in view of the results of Lord Derby's campaign, no case could be made out tor general compulsion.
THREE MILLION CAME FORWARD (Received 12.35 a.m.) Mr Asquith, quoting figures, showed that nearly three million came forward—(Cheers). Tlie recruits available immediately were over one million. These were wonderfully encouraging results, showing that the 1 country is prepared for any call f»r 'sustained effort and continuous self--1 sacrifice.—(Cheers). There was »on'siderable controversy in the autumn ! whether we could best do our duty to I the country by preserving voluntaryism or some form of general compulsion. These differences of opinion jpenetrated the cabinet, and He b<>llieved the differences still existed, but, personally, he would be no party 'to a Bill providing for general comI i' • ! pulsion. | Mr Asquith added, that he .honld be glad of they could have done without the Bill, but though a keen supporter of voluntaryism, he considered the Bill necessary. Not only Lord Derby, but the employers of labour land Voluntary canvassers gave him 'overwhelming evidence that his. pledge had been necessary, and showed that while tlie marrieds wore willing and anxious to serve, they were holding back in large numbers before they committed themselves, needing an assurance that the single do their duty. i The unmarrieds were generally hotter soldiers than the marrieds, because 'the latter generally had more respon : bilities. If no assurance had been given, there would have been a serious danger of the whole campaign breaking down. Ami where should we have been then?
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Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 26, 6 January 1916, Page 5
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622Great Britain Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 26, 6 January 1916, Page 5
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