BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN

MILITARY SERVICE BILL, DEBATED IN THE HOUSE. ~ AN ACRIMONIOUS LABORITE, *_,,_,• Received Jan. 12, 8 p.m. London, Jan. 11. In the House of Commons Mr. Asquitli, in reply to a question, said the Cabinet was unanimous in the opinion that the men provided for by the Bill were indispensable to the army. The question of a minimum number of male workers for industrial and overseas trades and other vital interests of the Empire was engaging Cabinet's most serious attention. Mr. Henderson moved the rejection of the Compulsion Bill. Mr. Will Thome protested, amid cheers, that Mr. Henderson did not represent the Labor Party. Mr. Henderson denied that there was anything like general consent in the Hous'e or in the country in favor of the measure. Thcr» -was no evidence that ''slackers .vere more than a negligible quantity. If the Bill passed it would be impossible to defend the principle of taking an unmarried man of 40 years of age in preference to a married man of 20. Therefore we were starting towards universal conscription, and he believed the Bill foreboded industrial compulsion. The Bill wa.s the result of ideas that had been germinating in Mr. Lloyd George's mind for some time, and Mr. Lloyd George had presented an ultimatum to Mr. Asquitli on his return from Glasgow. Mr. Asquitli said that Mr. Lloyd George had not made a communication of anv sort.

Mr. Henderson: It was reported in the Daily Mail. Mr. Asquith: T cannot contradict every lying report. Mr. Henderson, continuing, said that the Bill meant the subjection of workers to capitalists. If Mr. Asquith proceeded with the Bill he was looking for trouble and would get it. Mr. "Redmond intimated that the Nationalists would not further oppose the Bill. Mr. Redmond said he had not changed his views on the measure, and only national necessity could justify its introduction. Sinoe the division he and his colleagues had found that it was a purely English Bill, and as there was a 1(1 to 1 majority in its favor the Nationalists felt that they would incur grave responsibility by continuing opposition. Sir E. Carson said he recognised Mr. Redmond's sincerity, and regretted that he had not gone a step further and allowed Ireland to lie included. The Bill had been delayed till the last moment. The Dardanelles undertaking had been admirably conceived, but failed owing to the shortness of men. Not a single argument had heen advanced as 'to how to carry on the war without men, but arguments were used that we injure this and that industry by taking more men. Continuing, Sir E. Carson asked what did it all matter so loni as we won the war. The opponents of the Bill were doing ill service to the country. Referring to the extension of compulsion, he said the Bill was the most anaemic he had ever known. The question of industrial compulsion required examination as to whether it would do more harm than good, but, if it would shorten the war. why shirk it? He would not shrSk from I'oiisciiptii.ii of property if needful. He was profoundly disappointed at the Coalition Government excluding Ireland, which had not done half as well as Britain in the matter of recruiting. Mr. Birroll said it was estimated that there are four hundred thousand unattested unmarried men of military age in Ireland, whereof a quarter of a million are engaged in agricultural work, 2.5,000 in munitions and shipyard work, and 110,000 in railway and seafaring occupations. Altogether the necessary reductions left a residue of 80,000. [lt would seem that the remarks attributed to Mr. Henderson in the above debate were made by some other rnem--ber.].

XATIONAJJSTS WILL XOT OPPOSE BILL. .riecelved Jan. 12, * " p.i„ Londc:.-., .;...,,. 11. Jfr. Redmond has told the Commons that the Nationalists will not oppose the Military Service Bill. THE MUNITIOXS BILL, London, Jan. 11. The of Lords has passed tiie second reading of the Munitions Bill. OIXI-'KUhXC'E WITH LABOR I'AKTY. London, Jan. 11. Th.' Labor Parly accepted .Mr. Asuuith's invitation to discuss ccitain aspects of the Compulsion Bill. EXTENSION OF COMPULSION- *. .v;i. nil/Ul-'i-K ihi-:a London, Jr.n. 11. The Daily Mail, in a leading article, advocates compulsory war loan investments, the limitation of imports by licenses and permits, and co.mpulsorv limitation of the rate of living. It believes that drastic compulsion with respect to money, for rich and poor alike, will meet with less opposition than the Compulsory Service Bill. It announces that the Treasury Committee is organising a campaign to secure surplus wages and profits under compulsion if voluntaryism fails.