CONSCRIPTION

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 71, 22 September 1915, Page 2

CONSCRIPTION

THE MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA.

(ITIOV OUB OWK CORRBSrONDBNT.) SYDNEY, 16th September. Organised and definite advocacy of conscription for Australia has arisen during the week. Under our Defence Act we have already provision for conscription or compulsory service within Australia. What is now being urged i 6 the introduction of compulsion to serve abroad for the reason that the fate of this as well as other parts of the British Empire is being decided on foreign soil. This conscription movement has originated in New South Wales. There has been started a National Service League, which is intended to co\«er the whole of Australia, and there has been published simultaneously in all the States a manifesto issued by the League. It is set out in this manifesto that while Australia has done much, she has not done enough, and that while the necessity has not yet arisen for Australia to give her last mam and her last shilling, "the situation is one of gravejanxiety," and that we must prepare for the future as well as send more men to the fighting line. On looking over the list of names of prominent people in New' South Wales associated with the inauguration of this movement, one sees that it consists largely of those who were most conspicuous in the recent platform recruiting campaign, which, in the words of the leader, Mr. Holman, State Premier, gave only " disappointing results." Professional and University men appear.' to. be the prime movers. Victoria seems to be the only other State where the movement has appreciably "taken on." Federal Ministers have refrained from lending their support "to advocacy of compulsion for military service abroad. Amongst Commonwealth legislators there appears to be a general inclination to wait for further and definite statements as to what needs to be done and can be effectively done in Australia by the responsible Ministers of tbe Commonwealth. These Ministers alone have the knowledge which must underlie action and vital policy. This is also the view taken by numerous writers in the press. At the same time there is an allround agreement that it is our duty to give and do all that we possibly can towards bringing the war to an early close with victory for the Allies, and that there should be no evasion of the equal obligation upon all to share in our > nationar*duty.