" A CALL TO EVERYONE."

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15173, 11 January 1915, Page 7

" A CALL TO EVERYONE."

SPEECH BY LORD ROSEBERY

(Received January 11th, 12.5 a.m.)

LONDON. January 10

Lord Rosebery. speaking at Dalkeith, said Great Britain and Germany were fighting with their hacks to the wall. Unless sufficient recruits were forthcoming under the voluntary system, some form of compulsory enlistment was unavoidable. Tho very thought of brothers or friends waist-deep in frozen water, fighting for the Empire's existence, ought to be sufficient call for everyone to go. There was not tho slightest doubt that th c Allies would ultimately be victorious.

Lord Rosebery said that compulsion would not bo unwelcome to the great mass of his countrymen, who would willingly accept an Imperial mandate, but thought it unfair that they should be singled out for active service while others remained at home.' If the rule applied to all equally, there would bo less reluctance, but it must be- remembered that the position of those enlisting voluntarily beforo any compulsion was used would be widely different from that of those enlisting under compulsion. Every able-bodied man would do well to realise the fact while there was time, so that he could say after th© war that ho served as a volunteer and not as a- conscript. Victory such as we desired would only be achieved if we were able to push million* against th© millions of Austrian*, and Germans.