News From England

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 384, 2 June 1915, Page 5

News From England

f . NATIONAL SERVICE. TWO STRONG APPEALS. STRENGTH OF THE NATION : WANTED. Times and Sydney Sun Services. j Received June 1 (i.5 p.m. j ' i London, Hay 31. | Lord Denman (former Governffr-Gen-cral of Australia), in a letter to the i Times, savs, having the experience of j administering the Government of a | ' great dominion at the time compulsory ' ,v service tame into operation lie would venture to refer to national service so urgently needed in England. In Australia success -,vas generally acknowledged, and surely if the Labor Government of Australia, where Democracy wag farther advanced than in any other country, could in time of peace carry a . scheme of compulsory service, the National Government at Home should be able to organise the manhood for the purpose of war. It was objected in some quarters that it would favor certain classes, but the experience in Australia proved that no more democratic measure could be placed on the Statute Book. They were told it would disorganise trade, but it-was precisely because trade must be organised for war purposes that compulsion was vitally necessary. National service would carry : a conviction to our Allies and our enemies that the country was really in wirnqst in the prosecution of the war. « The fact that the War Office was accepting men of forty and reducing the height necessary was proof that the vols' untary system had brokc-n down. • The military correspondent of the j Times says the new meaning of national service involves the whole of the i_ able-bodied population, which must come forward and serve, not only in 'the navv and army, but also in any I ■ capacity in which their services are need- • cd. It is useless to possess an army of millions unless the munition factories are fully manned. Our Allies have placed the whole of their ablebodied men in the field, and we cannot endure Britain doing less. A vast work of national organisation lies before the iinw Government and victory depends on the manner in which it is handled. It is impracticable and unwise to much longer rely on voluntary service, and it is unfair that anyone should be permitted to shirk a share of the national burden and the country's danger. The people must be organised for war, and .*■ the existence of national service will on'y ensure victory. Already there is clear expectation of compulsion. England lias been assailed by ship? and aircraft, and may possibly yet be assailed by troops, whose bases are on the enemy's territory, and they must be ftt.icked at those bases, therefore the •whole strength of the nation must be brought to bear for the defeat of the chief enemy in the principal theatre. The country awaits the call to throw itself into the contest enthusiastically. "THE ONLY REMEDY." • London, May 31. ' The Times declares that, evidence is accumulating on all sides proving that , the country requires an early declaration for national service, followed by in- * stant action ■by the new Government. This is the only remedy for thr> unfair methods of recruiting and the deficiency of munitions. The labor disputes are depressing, and there is a sense of national impotence at a time when every 4 man and woman is nefeded. THE SUPPLY OF MUNITIONS, U-M- ---. THE SCARCITY EXAGGERATED. London, May 31. •" The Morning Post's correspondent in /tha north of France made it his particular business to inquire into the shell supply of the army. He says that lie was assured from a number of reliable sources that tile artillery was doing splendidly, and, while high explosive • shells were certainly required in everincreasing quantity, the situation was al- •* together exaggerated in smile quarters. "To quote an expression J'ruiu the l'ruiit,"' the correspondent goes on, "we are dynamiting our way through the German defences in much the same us the French. We are blowing the parapets to bits and doing it rapidly and well. In certain instances we tired into tile 'German trenches and had tha occupants trembling with fear in their dug-outs. The trenches were, concreted and steel- - plated, but, notwithstanding this they •were rendered absolutely untenable. J. find among soldiers widespread indignation against the attacks oil Lord kitciencr, and it is logically urged-that it the matter is really meant patriotically ' serious representations in the right quarter would have sulliciently called atten- . tion to any grievance." From otliei ' . sources it is stated that tl.fr allege scandal as to the shortage of shell, ha. ' been grossly exaggerated for politics ' purposes. The crisis is solely the re-nl , of personal quarrels at tie -cm.i... *" and War Office. A special correspondent ol the Time ■dealing with the munitions savs that drinkin-r is worst on the Cl} <1 f Jjmd an appreciable evil on the J-}i'.c. 11

the Clyde workshops he saw a batch of men turned out by the foreman for being too drunk to work. The men had brought in spirits with them. The unusually large wages are the cause of the evil. An advocate of the prohibition of spirits remarks that many| men are overworked, and being subject to a continuous strain, are in danger of breakdown. NOT CENSOREP. j THE TIMES PROSECUTED. | London, May 31. [ The Government is prosecuting the publisher of the Times and 'Major Richardson, the breeder of dogs for army police work; for publishing Major Richardson's letter, after a visit to the front, stating that the last French reserves are out, and that the young raw recruits are being called up; also other information useful to the enemy. Major Richardson's letter said that France was looking to us to supply enormous numbers of men. Failing this there was a distinct danger of public sentiment in France wearying of the war. He saw here scores of lusty young men, utterly callous and indifferent to the anguish of their brothers so long as they got the war bonus. Mr. Bodkin, K.C., prosecuting, said the Times, in common with other newspapers, received an order as to what might not be published. It ought to have consulted the Press Bureau if there was the slightest doubt. The French military authorities had made a serious complaint to the War Office aboiit the letter. The War Office appreciated the seriousness of a statement tending to assist the enemy by making them consider the French forces bad reached their limit. A detective testified that Major Richardson admitted writing the letter, and said he thought it would be submitted to the censor. GERMAN SHIPPING CONCERN. L'SE OF THE DANISH FLAG. Received June 1, 0 p.m. Copenhagen, May 31. Britain has refused to allow the steamer Sydland, owned by Albert Jansen, to leave Liverpool under the Danish flag, on the ground that his company, owning fifteen large steamers, was really a German concern. CONTROL OF FOREIGN OFFICE. Received June 1, G p.m. London, May 31. Sir Edward Grey takes a short holiday owing to eyesight trouble, and Earl Crewe will be temporarily at the Foreign Office, Lord Lansdowne assisting. GERMAN PRISONER SHOT. Received June 1, 4.3 p.m. London, May 31. A German soldier, trying to escape at night from the Leigh prison camp, climbed on to the roof of a shed. Sentries thrice ordered him to descend, but as he refused he was shot dead. A STRIKE AT LEICESTER. Received June 1, 4.30 p.m. London, May 31. Several thousand hosiery workers ot Leicester, mostly employed on Government contracts, struck for an 8 per cent, advance.