THE COMING DEMOCRACY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 280, 24 November 1915, Page 4

THE COMING DEMOCRACY.

' L'ntil the precise terms of Mr. Asquith's Parliamentary Registration j Bill are revealed, it is clearly impossible to discuss it at length. But quite excepi tional interest attaches to this measure because of the rumour that the leaders of the two great political parties have agreed to the adoption of the democratic principles of "one man one vote," and "one vote one value." We can_hardly conceive it possible that ParlAinleh"J! "stift be called upon to consider so far-reach-ing and revolutionary a measure as this, j during a period of such stress and turmoil, unlase the intention is to apply j the principle simply to the question I which is now engrossing public attention throughout the United Kingdom and the | Empire—-the proposal for compulsory military service. We already have Mr. , Asquith's assurance that if a sufficient | number of men cannot be raised by voluntary enlistment, then "other means'* must be employed; and we have also Lord Derby' 6 interpretation of the Premier's statement There are only two possible altsxnatives, and if voluntaryism , goes by the board. - compulsion . inevitably „ takes .its. place.. But it is unlikely, that.the Government would venture' to adbpt : any form of compulsion for military service without appealing directly-to the people for-a mandate, and it is manifest that the. only fair and conclusive way of securing a verdict on this question would be by a popular vote on strictly democratic lines. Though the British voting qualification—£lo a year for landowners, tenants, householders and lodgers—is not high, still it excludes a considerable section of the masses, and the existence of plural voting throws the balance of power decisively into the hands of the relatively wealthy classes. Under these conditions, a popular vote on military service would mean to large numbers of the people that they might be forced to fight at the bidding of a comparatively limited class who might draw up the terms of service on lines calculated to suit themselves. For these reasons, if a referendum on this question is to be taken, the voting must be conducted on purely democratic lines. We are, therefore, inclined to interpret the references to " one man one vote" and f one vote one. value".. .in . our cable message* as foreshadowing -& plebiscite which to' decide for themselves between the compulsory and the voluntary systems. Of course, we must regard such a step, if it is taken, as quite a unique expedient forced upon Government and Parliament solely by the exigencies of this great national struggle. But there is no denying the importance of such a departure; and -it is perfectly certain that if the British people once secure the privileges of "one man one vote,'' and "one vote one value" on any pretext whatever, they will be very reluctant to resign them even when the emergency that made them necessary has passed by.