ANZACS CITED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 May 1939, Page 6

ANZACS CITED

IN BRITISH CONSCRIPTION DEBATE TRIBUTE TO FIGHTING QUALITY. MR LLOYD GEORGE ASSAILS GOVERNMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, May 8. Mr Wedgwood Benn, in the second reading debate on the Compulsory Training Bill in the House of Commons, recalled that the Anzacs at Suvla Bay, thdugh splendid and hardworking certainly were not most respectful. (Laughter). But how they worked and fought. He would not forget his general’s remark: “They are magnificent fighters, but you’ll never turn them into soldiers.” (Opposition laughter'and cheers). Lt.-Col Sir E.'Grigg: “Has the member forgotten that - the Anzacs were the product of compulsory military service?”

Mr Wedgwood Benn: “I’ve not forgotten that the Anzacs were told they were volunteers and that the majority voted against conscription.” Mr Lloyd George, referring to the pledges to Poland, Rumania and Greece, said they were demented and unredeemable. He challenged the War Minister, Mr L. Hore-Belisha, to say whether the General Staff had advised that the Government commitments were safe and could be met. He declared that Japan had been ’ left out of calculations. The Japanese march was like a spearhead toward the Empire frontiers. She had marched 2,000 miles nearer India since the present Government came to power. Reinforcements from India, which were available during the Great War, would not be available in future.

Referring to Russia, Mr Lloyd George urged completion of the “only combination giving Britain a chance of completing her engagements and a combination which would be triumphant if effected whole-heartedly.” He declared that Mr Chamberlain had temporarily abandoned appeasement, but there were signs of its resurrection.

Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Roger Keyes, said Mr Lloyd George’s speech was most dangerous and the Opposition was resisting the only possible means of providing collective security, for which it had always been pleading. Sir Stafford Cripps said the Prime Minister would make a more effective gesture to the world if an agreement with Russia were reached forthwith. If there was any reality in his intention to impress the aggressors there would have been an all-in measure of conscription. He urged that, if the Government refused to accede to legitimate demands, it was the right of the people to create conditions forcing it to accede. Replying to a Conservative’s questions regarding what form of pressure he advocated Sir Stafford Cripps said the ordinary forms of popular pressure open to workers. Mr J. McGovern said the Independent Labour Party would do everything to encourage youngsters to refuse to fight and to resist conscription, even by going to prison.