BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1915, Page 5

BRITAIN.

THE NEED FOR UNITY. MR. LLOYD GEORGE AND THE WORKERS. AN IMPASSIONED APPEAL, Received Dec, 27, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 2d. Mr. Lloyd George addressed three thousand trade union leaders at Glasgow on Christmas morning. At the outset there was a good deal of interruption by the singing of the Red Slag song by syndicalists, and a small section who were apparently opposed to the war. The interrupters were distinctly in the minority and the meeting was generally good humored.

Mr. Lloyd George explained the proposals which were the only means for getting the eighty thousand skilled workers required for the State-owned and erected, State-controlled, and Stateequipped munition factories which are now being established throughout the Kingdom. The Government must take skilled men from occupations where unskilled men and women were usable after a fortnight's training. Upon the Trades Unions' acceptance of the proposals depended not only victory, but the saving of numberless lives. He could not report to Parliament that British workmen had refused to suspend their rules. When the Russians, early in 1913, conquired Galicia and threatened to overrun Hungary a change came over the German factories which were busy throughout the winter, pouring in a torrent of guns and shells that pierced the lines and drove back the Russians. That was the German workmen's great victory.

The Frenca workpeople, by patriotic devotion, saved their country, and if British workers were prepared to go on for another year they might get help from American workmen in 1917, but time was vital. In the event of British workmen refusing, the only alternative would be to tell the Kaiser frankly, "We cannot go on." The Kaiser might let us off with the annexation of Belgium, a payment of indemnity, the loss of a few colonies, and command of the.sea.

Mr. Lloyd George urged the labor leaders to rise and grasp their greatest opportunity. Ha subsequently conferred with the committees of the Trades Unions and satisfactory arrangements were made for the immediate solution of the labor problem.

ELECTION PROBABLE SOON. THE COMPULSORY SERVICE QUESTION. Received Dec. 27, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 24. The Weekly Despatch alleges that Mr. Asquith will not tolerate any compromise in connection with the compulsion pledge and the Government is divided on conscription. Cabinet will to-morrow consider the feasibility of a general election, which is more likely than not to be early. The paper adds that those who favor an election say that though the bulk of the present House, and practically all the Government members will be returned new blood will be introduced in the shape of members who will be returned for the single purpose of conducting the war to a successful issue. Moreover, the Government have a plain mandate on the question of compulsory enrolment of unmarried men, whose backwardness has imperilled Lord Derby's scheme.

■ x A V.C. HERO. HIS LIFE FOB. WOUNDED COMRADES. Received Dec. 27, 10.30 p.m. London, Dec. 26. Lieut, Dartnell, of the League of Frontiersmen, lias been awarded the Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery on the tiiird of September, at Maktau, in East Africa. During a mounted in : fantry engagement the enemy's black troops were murdering our wounded, and Dartnell, who was himself wounded, insisted on being left behind in the hope of saving the rest. He lost his life in a most gallant attempt to save his comrades. Lieut. Dartnell is believed to be the first actor who has received the Victoria Cross. A soldier's letter states: "Dartnell gave a good account of himself. We found seven of the enemy dead at his feet."

THE WAR IN PARLIAMENT. COMPULSION OR NOT? Received Dec. 27, 11.30 p.m. London, December 20. Lord Kitchener and several members of the Cabinet remained at their offices throughout the holidays. The Cabinet to-day will take up consideration of Lord Derby's figures. The Daily Mail and Times states tnat the anti-campulsionist minority in the Cabinet claim that they are not parties to Mr. Asquith's pledge. If Mr. Asquith decides that the proportion of unmarried is insufficient, the compulsionists will demand action in favor of an immediate general election, if this is necessary to decide the problem. The anti-compulsionists are in favor of single men being given another chance of being summoned before local tribunals and being required to give reasons for not attesting within a fortnight.

THE RECRUITING SCHEME. OXE FORM OF COMPULSION Beecived Dec. 27, 10.30 p.m. London, Dec. 28. On the first of Lord Derby's figures Mr. AsquitU will have to redeem his pledge that married men will not be called until the single ones have gone. It is predicted that the form of compulsion ultimately to be adopted will lie to make attendance before recruiting tribunals compulsory, the tribunals being empowered to listen to a man's objections and (lion sav tthtttor or not H« 4nuld ulUfc ~ •'' "