VOLUNTARYISM OR COMPULSION.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6493, 21 September 1915, Page 4

VOLUNTARYISM OR COMPULSION.

Minister of Munitions Makes a Statement.

Rec Sept 20, noon. London, Sept 19. The Press Bureau announces that Mr Lloyd George, Minister of Munitions, in replying to his constituents' letter, says:—"You say rightly tliat the Government ought to give the nation a lead upon the question as to whether the moral obligation upon every able-bodied man to defend the country ought to be converted into a legal obligation. I can assure you that the Government is fully alive to the necessity of giving a definite lead ar.d is now exaini ni n g the subject with a view to rightly deciding, without undue delay or undue precipitation, either of which might be equally disastrous. Let us avoid both and decide the issue on fact, not principle. If the figures demonstrate that we can win through with voluntaryism then it would be folly to provoke a controversy in the j middle of the world's war by attempts to substitute a toally different method. On the other hand if the figures demonstrate to everyone prejudiced that voluntaryism has exhausted its ; utility and nothing but legal pressure can give us the armies necessary to defend the honour of Britain and save Europe from the triumph of military despotism, I have heard of no man who would in those circumstances resist compulsion. The men who say they will resist if this expedient is proved necessary to save the country and the freedom of the world have not yet appeared in the arena. If they ■ do appear 1 predict they will not be found among the working classes. The question is wholly one of ascertainable ! fact. Why then all this premature | anger? The determining facts are not I yet published. When the facts are sifted and made known ths advocates of either view will surely find that the whole of this cyclonic fervour and ferocity has been wasted in attacking positions which they will then discover they ought to defend. Let the Government have a fair chance. 'Jo decide all this clatter and racket outside the Council Chamber would be fatal to deliberation. I especially beg the public to pay no heed to paragraphs ascribing certain attitudes to different Minister*. These are invariably inspired by hostile intent and the task of contradiction would be endless."