COMPULSION COMING.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1915, Page 5

COMPULSION COMING.

THE CANVASS FOR MEN. deceived Dec. 29, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 28. The Manchester Guardian, referring to the crisis, says it is admitted that half a million eligible single men may •have sjiood out of the Derby attesta- . tiona, and it is believed also "that hun- !■' dreds of thousands of single men have not yet made anything like a complete .1 canvass. Mr. Asquith's pledge must be fulfilled, but Lord Derby's l pledge of a complete canvass must be fulfilled ENLISTMENT OF SINGLE MEN. ». Sydney, Dec. 29. A Sun special from the Times states • that the Government has decided to compel enlistment of the unmarried men. ■ v Minor resignations in Cabinet are threatened. LLOYD GEOEGE CHEERED. TIME RIPE FOR CONSCRIPTION. Received Dec. 29, 8.5 pjn. London, Dec. 28. .There was a full attendance at the , Cabinet meeting. The crowd was so great that the police cleared Downing ..' Street. Mr. Lloyd George was heartily cheered. The Daily Telegraph states that the Cabinet did not come to a final decision, but Mr. Asquith's pledge will be fully , honored on the lines of Lord Derby's . letter. )')■"■ wlwl* matter will be debated in the Commons on Wednesday, when Mr. Asquith will announce the Cabinet's decision. The Daily Chronicle says that Mr. Asquith informed the Cabinet that the time had arrived for compulsion of unmarried men, and he proposes to intra- \ uce a Bill forthwith. r ' A FORECAST. IRISH AND LABOR MEMBERS TO BE ~ CONSIDERED. Received Dec. 2#, 10.30 p.m. ■ v London, Dec. 29. The Daily Chronicle says that it ia Bo secret that several members of the Cabinet loathe compulsion. Mr. Rundown is likely to resign, but as an intimate friend of Sir E. Grey he may be influenced by Sir E. Grey's attitude, and Meters'McKenna and Harcourt, Sir John Simon, Mr. McKinnon Wood, and ; 4h« Lord Chancellor, and other sceptics. If Mr. Asquith keeps these colleagues g jwill .be * wonderful exploit. Mr. enderson's attitude depends on that of ' the Labor party. It is possible that the , , Iri*h Nationalists will be placaded if Ireland ia excluded from conscription.

AS STATED BY TEE TIMES. . £eceived Dec. 30, 1 a.m. London, Dec. 29. The Times announces that the majority of the Ministers have agreed to the following policy:— Firstly, that Mr. Asquith's pledge is binding on the whole Government. Secondly, that it should be redeemed immediately. Thirdly, that the principle of compulsion should be accepted. Fourthly, that Mr. Asquith should make an announcement to this effect immediately. When the House reassembled on Tuesday, Messrs McKenna and Bunciman, heading a considerable minority, opposed this course, believing that it would, prejudice trade and finance, and their resignafions, with possibly that of another Minister, are by no means out of the question. When the number of unattested unmarried men was disclosed it was larger than most of the Ministers expected. The' majority in the Cabinet was a decided, and not a negligible one, the minority being in a difficult corner, and the Cabinet discussion stage was thus safely pasßed. PRESS COMMENT. Received Dec. 29, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 28. The Evening Standard says that Mr. Asquith's only course is to act boldly and promptly, and then the country will respond enthusiastically. It will not lie a misfortune if the Cabinet is purged of certain notorious elements of weakness. The Star says that the crisis is purely a fictitious one, doe to intriguers who have been using for months every available weapon to break up the unity of the Government.

The Pall Mall Gazette says it has the most confident conviction that Mr. Asquith will adhere to his pledge; but let Lord Derby's figures be published, and then the country will quickly settle what action is necessary. The New York World says that the conscription question may be a cover for attacks on Mr. Asquith, but behind all remains the irrepressible conflict between Liberalism and Toryism, wherein Toryism does not know a truce, however imminent the national peril. The Times, Daily News, and Daily Mail confirm the report that the majority of the Cabinet decided in favor of immediate legislation for compulsory service of unmarried men.

The Daily Chronicle says that the Cabinet is expected to reach a decision at the meeting on Thursday. Mr. Asquith, in the Commons on Wednesday, will announce that a Bill will be brought in, thus fulfilling. his pledge to the married men, despite the fact that the question of calling up the married men will not arise for nearly three months. The suggestion that Mr. Asquith was coerced into an unyielding attitude by a threat of Mr." Llovd George's resignation is without foundation. Lord DePby is opposed to a further canvass, believing that it is onlv postponing the difficulty. The Chronicle states that of the €OO,OOO unmarried men who have not attested, under 300,000 will be available after excluding the unfits, munition workers, seamen and railwaymen. The most important question arises, however: Can Mr. Asquith introduce compulsion and preserve unity of the Cabinet?