BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 April 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

THE CABINET CRISIS. MR. LLOYD GEORGE ABSENT. Received April 19, 5.5 p.m. London, April 18. There was a large attendance at Westminster in anticipation of Mr. Asquith's statement. Mr. Lloyd George was a notable absentee, The Finance Bill was passed. DEBATE IN THE LORDS, London, April 18. Lord Milner's motion, advocating universal compulsory service, was debated in the House of Lords. Lord Milner said he thought the age limit might be advantageously raised to forty-nine. Our lack of men had been permanent and the übiquitous cause of weakness and the heaviest handicap. The tune had come to put the last ounce into the struggle. Lord Crewe said the Government hoped to make, a statement on Wednesday. They had to view the question from every possible angle. The deoate ws,s adjourned.

MR. CHURCHILL .RETURNS. CONFIDENCE WITH SIR E. CARSON. Received April 19, 0.5 p.m. London, April 10. Mr. Churchill, who returned from France, visited Mr. Lloyd George, using the side door to avoid the publicity of entering from Downing Street. He then had a conference with Sir E Carson, with whom he was seated on the front Oppositoin benches when Mr. Asquith explained that there were still points outstanding, without which the recruiting statement was incomplete and inadequate. Mr. Asquith agreed to Sir E. Carson's suggestion that the Cabpnet should make a statement on Wednesday, the discussion thereon to take place o.: Thursday.

LABOR ANTAGONISTIC.

LLOYD GEORGE'S PROPOSAL. Received April 10, 9.5 p.ra, London, April 19. The Parliamentary Labor party met this evening, and, after prolonged discussion, resolved to vote against the extension of compulsion, thus threatening the resignation of three Labor Ministers. It is undcrstod that Mr. Lloyd George will propose that the Compulsion Bill shall contain a proviso that the powers shall only be exercised if the yield of unattested married men under the new voluntary recruiting plan falls below fifty thousand monthly. The Laborites refuse to accept this. The Daily Chronicle states that a committee of the Cabinet investigated the Army Council's requirements, hut refrained from expressing an opinion on the subject of general compulsion. The tone of the report, however, suggested that they regarded it is unsuitable. As to the future, they thought the military needs for several months could be satisfied by the enlistment of lads of eighteen years of age, and of the attested married men, and the retention of the time expired men, but the Army Council desires to be guaranteed a steady inflow of men up to December.

SITUATION EASIER, COMPROMISE ARRIVED AT. Received April 19, 10.50 p.m. London. Apiil 10. The lobbies at St. Stephens were excited throughout the afternoon and evening. The attitude of Mr, Bonar Law and Unionist Cabinet members was largely influenced by a meeting of the Unionist War Committee, at which Sir Edward Carson and 125 members were present. The speeches showed that the majority of the Unionists are determined to insist on a final solution of the recruiting question, though Lord Hugh Cecil struck a note of extreme caution. Later in the evening the situation was somewhat easier, owing to the efforts of the Cabinet committee that had been formed in the morning, consisting of Mr. Asquith, Lord Kitchener. Messrs Bonar Law, Lloyd fieorge, ami Henderson, to try and find a solution. The Daily Mail and Daily News state that the committee placed the position before the military chiefs, explaining the measures favored by the majority of the Cabinet. Military chiefs, notably General Sir W. P. Robertson, expressed dissatisfaction, believing that they could not secure the requisite numbers. The committee finally decided to suggest to to-day's Cabinet the following compromise:—General compulsion will not be introduced at present, but if the existing and new measures do not provide sufficient men there will be no further opposition to compulsion of marI ried men.

UNIONIST CABINET PREDICTED. GENERAL ELECTION POSSIBLE. Received April 19, 8.50 p.m. London, April 19. The newspapers foreshadow a Unionifet Cabinet, including Mr Lloyd George, and a general election in May. The Daily Chronicle says that unless Cabinet decides for compulsion Messrs Lloyd George, Bonar Law, and the Unionists will resign. ' j THE RECRUITING PROBLEM. SPECIAL COMMITTEE SET UIP. London, April 18. Mr. Asquith is president of the special committee appointed to make a final effort to solve the recruiting problem. The committee includes Lord Kitchener, Mr. Lloyd George, Lord Crewe, General Robertson, Messrs Long and Henderson. Mr. Asquith, in the House of Commons, stated that he would postpone I hi* statement till Wednesday,, -

THE FATE OF THE EMPIRE; HANGS ON COMPULSION. Times and Sydney Sun Services, Beceived April 19, 5.10 p.m. London, April 18. The Times, in a leading article, says that the fate of England and the Empire hangs on Mr. Asquith's announcement to-day. The Empire has reached a point when it must state whether it intends to straighten out the confusion of the present recruiting method and maintain the forces indispensible for victory. Prodigious efforts to make it plain that the requirements of the military situation .shall square with its exigencies, of the heartiest of politicians have, we believe, failed, and nothing short of a single comprehensive measure of universal service will satisfy the situation. Labor apparently is divided. Mr. John Hodge (a Laborite), interviewed to-day, said that if the Government will tell us that general conscription is the only way to win the war, he did not think any objection would be raised uy the unions, but it must be left with the Government to say if the need for men is so pressing. The Independent Labor Party, on the other hand, declare that the National Service Act must be repealed.

GERMAN COMMENT. OX THE CABINET C'KISiS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 18. The Berliner Tngeblatt discusses what it terms the Cabinet crisis over the compulsion issue. It sayp: Mr. Asquith whs able recently to celebrate the end of eight years of Premiership. This is proof of his extraordinary capacities for finding a way out of thorny situations and slipping past abysses. Now his gifts will be subjected to the severest test. He is expected to solve the compulsory service problem without a Parliamentary Bmash. DAILY MAIL ON THE MINISTRY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 18. The Daily Mail in a leader says; "If we cannot have a war Government at once, we can have a war Opposition, led by patriotic wen. Both parties would give material for the alternative Ministry, which would end in paralysing the effect of the disastrous coalition.

THE FREEDOM OF LONDON. MR. HUGHES AT HOME. AN IMPERIALISTIC SPEECH. London, April 18. At the Guildhall, Mr. W. M. Hughes, Federal Premier, was presented with the fteedom of the City of London. In responding, Mr. Hughes dwelt entirely on the Empire question. He referred to the urgency of creating conditions under which the population of Britain and the Dominions might rapidly increase and develop our enormous resources. He said the war had plunged civilisation in an inferno and saturated the earth with the blood of our sons. It had brought sorrow to their homes, but welded the scattered nations of the Empire into a united people. When he spoke' of the Empire he did not speak of territorial expansion nor increase of wealth, but of the far wider opportunities of developing free government and the economic and social conditions worthy of a great people and compatible with the integrity of an Empire, I which would ensure the peaceful nations i of the earth absolute security from disturbers of the world's peace. That was what the Empire and its maintenance meant. It was necessary to be ready to defend the Empire, as the responsibility for the world's peace, civilisation and the future of democracy depended on the ability to do so.

ANZAC DAY. PROGRAMME IN LONDON, THE 29th DIVISION. Lonrtifn, April 18. The programme for Anzac Day arranges for 1300 Australians to arrive at Waterloo and march to Aldwych, and for 700 New Zealanders to arrive at Fenchurch Street and join forces at Aldwych. Headed by bands, they will proceed to the Abbey via the Strand and Whitehall. Applications outnumber the seal's tenfold. Special seats near the King and Queen arc reserved for a party of blind men. Accommodation is reserved for nurses in addition to the wounded. The New Zealanders will return to camp, but the Australians will march past in Pall Mall, go on to the Hotel Cecil, and thence march to His Majesty's Theatre. An Anzac non-com., wrtiing to the Times, says: "The ever-generous British public gives the chief measure of praise for the Gallipoli landing to the Colonial and Allied comrades, but every Anzac is filled with high admiration of the gallantry which was shown by their brethren in arms. Survivors of the 29th Division who visit Australia and New Zealand will receive tlie honor they richly deserve."

AN IMPUDENT RENEGADE. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 18. Sir Ropier Casement contributes an impudent article, to the Munich Zeitimg. He says that the object of his visit to Germany was to obtain for the benefit of the Irish an assurance of Germany's goodwill, in order to preserve his people from participation in a great crime. He concludes boastfully by saying that the fact that England has not succeeded in extending compulsion to Ireland is an admission that Ireland is exempted from service for Britain and the Empire, mid l? the beat justification of bis visit,

SHIPPING SHORTAGE. ATTI-MFfED GERMAN BLOCKADE. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 18, Mr. E. (P. Houston writes to the Daily Mail that the shortage of British tonnage was so great during March that of forty-nine steamers loading coal at Cardill' for Jtaly only three were British. The Germans are undoubtedly desperately attempting to blockade Britain. That they are very active is shown by the number of our ports which are closed, lie understands that the Germans have standardised submarine parts and are putting them out rapidly. It behoves the Admiralty to turn out a sufficient number of vessels to deal with these pests. The cost of food is bound to advance in view of the losses of British and neutral tonnage and the demands of the Allies on British shipping. It is wasteful to use British vessels, and lie advocates the requisitioning of ships of neutral countries lilce Spain, who has 70 German vessels lying in her waters. The proper course for the Government would be to inform Spain that they are unable to grant use of our ships while German ships are idle in her ports.

LABOR AND PRESS INTRIGUES. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 18. Mr. Thomas, addressing railwayinen, said that the only way to lose the war was to break national unity. Workers were fully alive to press intrigues and would resist a prcs 3 dictatorship. BILLS PASS THE LORDS. London, April 18. The House of Lords passed the Imperial Institute Management Bill and the Pacific Islands Regulation Validation Bill. SETTLEMENT WITH AMERICAS' 'PACKERS. London, April 18. The Foreign Office announces the conclusion of negotiations with American packing houses. The settlement provides that in consideration of the sura paid to packers the Government shall regulate the entire shipment of all packing houses to European neutrals during the war.