THE COMPULSION ISSUE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2667, 12 January 1916, Page 5

THE COMPULSION ISSUE

LIVELY WEEK-END MEETINGS j LABOUR LEADERS HECKLED ! ■ — j By Telsgrapli—Press Association—Oopyrlittit London, January. 10. The week-end meetings, generally,. ■ were bad for the anti-compu)s!<r : Audiences of working men. severely heckled Mr. Thomas, M.i'., ana Labour leaders. Mr. Winstoue, «no was rejected for Merthyr Tydvil, had a disorderly reception at a miners' meeting at Abersychan. The Nationalists are not expected ttf take further action against the Bill, « the opponents to the second reading, commencing in the House of Common: : to-morrow, will be below fifty. The newspapers aro giving promin< er.ce to the reopening of the group system. The "Daily News" appeals to 1 single men to enrol as the last chance to save voluntaryism. ■The "Daily Express" demands a Genoral Election to clear the air. Other newspapers state that the Government will not hesitate to appeal to ! the electorates if the progress of the ; Bill is unduly hampered. IRISHMEN AND THE BILL. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) ■ (Rec. January 11, 5.15 p.m.) London, January 11. The "Times" correspondent at Dub? lin states that the Irish Unionists fin<} Mr. Asquith's excuse for exclusion ; wholly .unconvincing, and they expect i j their members in the House of Com- . i mons to make an effective protest when the Bill is in the Committee stage, by moving an amendment extending thp 1 operations of the Bill to Ireland. The feeling is not confined to Unionists, and thoughtful Nationalists fear that this. will effect Ireland's exclusion on poly ■ tical opinions, after the war. THE EMPimiAN-POWER STATEMENT IN BRITISH PARLIA* "i MENT. ' | (Rec. January 11,10.15 p.m.) i London, January 11. Mr. Bonar Law, Secretary of. State. ■ for the Colonies, . replying to Mr. ; Outliwaite, in the House of Commons, ; said that the Government of Canada had 1 announced that they would mobolise ' half a million troops, including those already under arms. Australia, iti '; was estimated, would have three bun- ! dred thousand by June next, while New. Zealand, it was estimated, would hara ' about tnirty-six thousand troops, with regular reinforcements. I; IRELAND'S RESPONSE. . j (Rec. January 11,10.15 p.m.) ] London, January 11. ; Mr. A. Birreir (Chief Secretary for '! Ireland), replying to a question in Parliament, said that the number of men who had been sent from Leinster total- j led 174,597; Ulster,' 169,489; Munster, : 136,637; and Connaught, 81,892. The : number who had enlisted up to December 15 was: Leinster, 87,458; Ulster, ■49,760; Munster, 14,198 j Connaught, 3389. . ! MR. HENDERSON ATTENDS CABINET. London, January 10. ■ Mr. Arthur Henderson (whose resig- ! nation of the portfolio of Education was reported a few days ago, as a sequel to the split on the compulsion issue) attended Cabinet at Mr. Asquith's special invitation. It is therefore believed that the resignations have nob been accepted. Cabinet has lengthly discussed fchd Labour situation. LORD MAYOR AS RECRUITER. AN UNPARALLELED OFFICE. j London, January 10. ' For the first time in history the Man- ] sion House has been converted into a. recruiting office, and the Lord Mayor personally welcomes recruits. : The reopening of the group system has revived activity at the recruiting , offices, which have been idle 6ince tha ,j controversy in the House of Commons, most of tligse attesting are married men. Doubt still prevails amongst the ■ unmarried men whether compulsion will j be enforced. FRENCHMEN PUZZLED AT BRITAIN. WHAT THE FRENCH WORKERS i HAVE DONE. , j ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)! -j London, January 10. i The "Times" correspondent at Paris j Bays that the decision of the British ; Labour Conference has frankly puzzled '■ Frenchmen, who regard it as a sign that ignorance still prevails in Britain , of what is at stake. French Labour is gladly bearing many things which in j time of peaco would liavo brought tre- : mendous conflicts between Labour and : Capital. France has mobilised over •' seven million men, and is just calling ; up for training the eighteen-year-old : class.