CONSCRIPTION WAS DUTY TO HER ALLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 98, 28 April 1939, Page 7

CONSCRIPTION WAS DUTY TO HER ALLIES.

BRITISH GESTURE. Anxiety On Continent Has Been Allayed. MR. CHAMBERLAIN SPEAKS. ■ British Offlrlel Wireless. (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, April 27. Mr. Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, snid that, two days would be given In the second reading of the Conscript inn Bill, the Hrst of which would I" , Thursday next, and that thr dtlipr hill for the mobilisation of Territorial* would conie the w«-ok after next. The Government thought it important (hut ft xtiitcnicnt xlionld ho made in the course nf tliU work because if it had licen delayed until npxt week it would almost inevitably have Uppn taken a« being in ->ome way related to the speech Herr Hitler i< to make to-morrow. Referring to thp pledge given the House nf Commons in thp pHst not to introduce conscription j n ]>«>,)(•,. -time within tlie lifetime of this Parliament. Mr. Cha inherit! in said he wanted to 1 point out. that tlie occasion of the pledge wiis very different from to-day. In those times war wan not. imminent, and there wn* no i|i|p*tion present in the minds of an.vliody which then appeared likely to lead to war. They had thought at that time that it, would have heen posnihle to meet all the country's need* hy the voluntary fiV'tPin of recruit ing. The t'net was tliat to-day thp Government no longer thought that the needs of the country could he met by the voluntary system if that system were to stand alone. Surely it was not necessary to remind the House that even since March 29 the situation had rapidly changed. Since then the Government had given assurance* to Poland, (ireece and Rumania, and had thus enormously increased British liabilities. Aseurancei to Prevent War. Mr. Chamherlain added that if these /insurances, whose purpose was to prevent wur. were to l>e effective Britain must inspire confidence in those countries and throughout Kiirojie that her assurances would be carried through to the end. It had heen becoming clear to the (loverninent that the success of its whole efforts to build up a solid front against the idea of domination by force was being jeopardised by doubts expressed as to the British determination. He did not think anyone could read to-day's papers without realising that the Government's statement had brought confidence, relief and encouragement to all Britain's friends in Europe. It would be a mistake to suppose, although the number of men affected in a single year by the proposals was not large, that from the military point of view it was not important. To have the certain knowledge that on a definite day a definite number of men would be available who could be trained in a definite time was of first importance in planning military operations.

The Government w»e associating with this, other fresh proposals designed to meet the views of the Opposition with which the Government had every sympathy, that when people were asked to undertake compulsory service it ought not at the same time to be permitted t> other*, perhaps not sharing in the obligation, to be enriched out of the country's need. MIXED RECEPTION. CHy Of London Reaction To Government Plan. AXTEOT ON MARKETS. <Received 10.30 n.m.) LONDOV, April 27. The conscription proposals are meeting with a mixed reception in the City. It is stated that the Government s plan is too hastily improvised and the difficulty is emphasised of drawing the line between armament and non-arma-ment industries. Meanwhile, shares of companies like Vickers, also of aircraft concerns, were marked down. Iron and steel stocks are uncertain. Selling became general on the stock markets in the afternoon owing to the reluctance of holders te have open commitments pending Herr Hitlers speech. Prices yielded in most sections including gilt-edged and international ftocke.