THE APPEAL TO AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 48, 20 November 1917, Page 5

THE APPEAL TO AUSTRALIA

ME. HUGHES ANNOUNCES CONSCRIPTION

WHAT THE PROPOSALS MEAN

SCATHING CONDEMNATION

OF SECRET FOES

The Prime Minister, Mr. W. M. Hughes, in his npeeoh at Bendigo on Novembor ]2, annonnced the Government's referendum proposals on the subject of compulsory service. The terms of the proposal to which the electors of Australia are asked to agree ore:— 1. Voluntary enlistment is to con- . tinue. 2. The number of reinforcements required is ?000 per, month. 3. Compulsory reinforcements will . be called up by ballot to tho extent to which voluntary onlistment fails to supply this number. 4. Tho ballot will bo from among single men only, between tho ages of 20 and 4i years (including widowers and divorcoes without children dependent upon them). 5. The following will be exempt:— (a) Persons who are physically unfit for service. (b) Judges of Federal and Stato Courts and police, special, and Stipendiary Magistrates.^ (c) Ministers of religion. (d) Persons whoso employment in tiny particular industry is declared by the prescribed authority to be neccssary for the supply of food and material essential for war. . (e) Persons whose religious belief does not allow them to bear arms; but this objection will only exempt them from combatant service. (f) Persons tho calling up of whom for military service would, because of their domestic circumstances or for any other reason, cause undue hardship to themselves or others dependent upon them. G. The Government will prescribe the industries essential to the pjes'scution of tho wnr nnd tho national welfare of Australia, and a special tribunal will determine the amount of labour necessary for their effective operation. 7. Where a family is or has been •represented in the Australian Imperial Force by the father or a son or by a brother, one eligible son or brother (as tho case may bo) shall bo exempt. 8. Eligible males of families represented at the front shall not bo balloted for until after oligib'e moles of families not so represented have been called up. 3. All ballots shall be so conducted that families will contribute as nenrjy as practicable pro rata, and that in no case shall the sole remaining eligible member of a family which is or has been so represented bo called up for service. Males under the age of 20 will be exempt in addition to tho ono eligible male over that age. .10. In determining the pro rata contribution regard shall.be had to all members of the family who have joined the Australian Imperial Force irrespective. of age. 11. Ballots' will he taken by the State 3 on the basis of the proportional number of eligible persons in each State. _ ; 12. The tribunals for deciding exemptions will be constituted by Magistrates specially appointed, and an appeal will lie to a Supreme Court Judge.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH WHY VOLUNTARY RECRUITING HAS FAILED. Intense interest was displayed in the speech, and a great crowd gathered at tho railway station to welcome the party. Mr. Hughes said: "The campaign opened to-night raises issues vital not only to the very existence of the Commonwealth and the Empire, but to liberty and to civilisation. Ws are now in the fourth year of a war incomparably the greatest tho world has ever seen. Tha nuinber of nations involved, the methods of warfare followed, tho awful ravages inflicted, the fury of the onslaught, tho issues at stake, distinguish it from all other warn. It is a world-war, a terrific life-and-doath struggle between two great ideals—might and right, despotism and democratio government. The whole civilised world is involved. Although remote from the storm centre the destiny of Australia hangs like that of France, Italy, Belgium, and Britain, upon the result of the conflict. Upon my return from Britain, voluntary recruiting having proved unsatisfactory and'insufficient, I took the only oourso open to me and referred the matter to the people themselves. (Cheers.) The memories of that campaign will not easily bo forgotten. There was an orgio of gross misrepresentation, of vile' slanders, the 'ears, the passions, the ignorance, the credulity of the citizens wero appealed to by every device at tho command of (hose who were determined that. Australia should not honour her solemn pledges and fulfil her sacred duty to the Empire and to the cause of liberty. (Hear, hear.)

October 28, 1916. "October 28, 1916, was a black day for Australia. It was a triumph for th's unworthy, the selfish and treacherous In our midst. It was a triumph for that insidious propaganda that had been ao tively at work in every Allied eoiintr) since the war began. It was a triumph for those reckless extremists who had oaptured the Labour organisations, and for those who stood behind them, under whose direction, indeed, they bad schem od to enter awl capture the industrial and political citadels of Labonr. The defeat of the referendum by the narrow 'majority of 73,000 in a total vote of 2.300,000 on October 28 was hailed by Germany and the enemies of Britaih everywhere with exultation. Our troops in the trenches wore taunted by the enemy: 'Australians, your comrades ha>e deserted you.' It has been said by cur opponents that, notwithstanding _ our pledges, we would introduce conscription behind the backs of the people, or that at best we should immediately refer the matter to them. It was said we should not give voluntaryism a fair thow. Well, time and circumstances have completely falsified these predictions.. (Cheers.) Wo liave not attempted to po behind the backs of the people. Wo have niven voluntaryisra a fair trial, although our on* ixments have certainly not done so_. We nave not souyht an excuse for bringing this question before the people, but have acted only when recent events created a situation so^ menacing that bad the Government failed to not it would have proved itself not only ineot, but treacher. on/5. The condition* of the pledtre that I stave on behalf of the Government have been amplv fulfilled. National safetv emphatically demands that Australia shall do her duty, shall maintain her five divisions at effectfve strength.

"Why It Cannot Succeed." "Kecruiting has failed. Let me ahow, if it Ire necessary, thnt it has failed, tho reasons for its failure, and why it cannot succecd in this country. The total numbor of recruits raised from January 1 to the end of October, inclusive, is 40,039, or an average of 4004 a month. Tho rate of recruiting has not been steady, but lias fluctuated considerably. For example, for tho first six months of the year (January to May) the total nas 23,700, or an averago of 4450 a month, whilo in September and October, as a result of the strike, it fell to 2GIO, or not much more than one-half of the number for February or March. Voluntarism lias not failed through lack of men of military a Re, for there are in Australia over 770.000 males between the ages of 20 and 44. the majority of whom aro fit for service. Making liberal allowance for tho medically unfit, there are over half a million elisiblos between 20 and 44. In addition, there are about 68,000 eligihles between 18 and 20 years of age, ef whom, say, 45.000 aro fit. Yet in the <™i>nth of September the number of voln*itnrv recruits wis onlv 2480, and for tbe five months, January 1 to Way 31, 23,700. Voluntarism has not failed for lack of men, nor because Australia is

war weary; it has failed because of a systematic campaign of poisonous doctrines insidiously dossimated throughout tho country. (Cheers.) And thoso who were responsible for the defeat of the referendum on October 28, 1910, thoso who clamoured for voluntary recruiting, aro responsible for its failure. The elections of May 5 last conclusively proved that Australia was loyal to the Empire, that it realised that its nntional safety absolutely depended upon that of the Empire, that it was enthusiastically in fnvour of a policy that nould enable tho Commonwealth to do its share, that it was against a premature peace, that it repudiated tho pernicious doctrines preached by the men nbo had continued to control organised labour, that it regarded I.W.W.ism witlv abhorrence, that it repudiated thoso disloyal sections in mir midst who sought to sacrifice Australia and the Empire in order to savo what they considered to 1m the interests of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) Australia, by giving the National Government the largest majority known in tho history of the Commonwealth, proved its loyalty. In one respect, and ono alone, ixepent, did it limit the Win-the-War Government. It decided to rely on voluntary enlistment for reinforcements, and through this chink in its armour the disloya! section of tho community have ceaselessly end°avoured to hamstring the Government's efforts in regard to recruiting and to all other thiies. | Enemies of tho Cause. "Tho recent strike, the most Berions in the history of Australia, was tho fruits of a deliberate conspiracy for this purpose. It waa engineered by the same men who had driven out of tho Labour movement evory man who dared to put his conntry in the hour of its great peril before his party, and its mean and petty interests. It was supportod bv the I.W.W. and by Sinn JFeiners, and oy every disloyal section in Australia. A strike in time of war ought not to bo entertained by citizens of a free country. Such a strike as that wliioh hod jnet uassftd—a strike whioS Tied up shipping for weeks when shipping is the very lifo's blood of tho Empfre—is a heinous crime. Tho men boast that thousands of unionists aro fighting at tho front. Yes, thank God, they are, but they are not of the typo that engineered the lata strike. I do not speak of the unfortunato rank and tile or urfioniste, but of thoso reckless and disloyal men who have led unionism to political and industrial destruction.

"And then there is that other sinister and disloyal movement, which, long wording beneath tho surface, has now dared to raise its hond to oponlv avow its hatred to Britain and to the Empire. Tho Sinn Foln is hore in our midst— Che STiln Fein who's present avowed object "s an Irish Republic, independent of and outside tho Empire. And Australians have been told lately that they are Sinn Feiners. What a vile insult to hurl at tho loyal Australians. Three hundred nnd fourteen 'thousand Australians have gone forth to do battle for the Empire. The sands of Gallipoli and tho fields of Frenca nnd Palestine aro dyed with the blood of these heroic men, who have given their lives for the Empire, T>ecanse they believed that in ftehting for tho Empire they wero fighting for ®*ftralia ailo the cause of liberty. Sinn Fein declares tlrnt every man who wears the Kind's uniform is a traitor. Your Australians aro told that they are Sinn Feiners. Australia is an integeral part of the British Empire. Kb safety is wranped un in and dependent upon that of the Empire. It glories in the fact that it is one of that league of free nations that make im the Empire; but Sinn Fein hates the British Empire, seeks its destruction, gloats oveT every success bv Germany, seeks Germany's aid to strike a Wow at tho Empire while it is fighting for its existence. VolunFary recruiting has failed, and Sinn Fein which shrieks for liberlv and takes Gorman sold to do Germany's dirty work, which; is tho mid tool of the neat enomy of liberty; Sinn Fein, and those other sections of .which I spoke, have "Killed it. The Government has kept- its pledge to the letter, nnd in spirit. It spent money lnvishlv in Its endeavours to secure recruits. Tt gave voluntarism every opportunity, carefully refrrtfned frcm ever referring to the possibilities of an alternative. Voluntarism has Tailed. Syndicalism, _T.W.W.-ism, and Sinn Fein have killed it; bui- Australia 'is loyal, and these sections do not represent her. Wo are faced now with a situation which makes the reinforcement of' our divisions an inmerative dntv. Voluntarism has failed. l>i)t Australia must'not do so. The Government elected on a win-the-war poliev confronW with a situation that makes the reinforcement of our armies vita' to our existence, and to that of th« Empire, comes before the people, and declares plainly that it canno* give effect tn a win-fhe-war police unless if is !>V the electors with nowcr to act as the circumstances demand. Numbers Governed by Casualties. "In the face of tho reckless campaign of lies and misrepresentation that marked the last referendum campaisn, and which contributed materially to its defeat, needs to be emphasised. The number of men called up under this soheme is considerably less than half of that aked for last year. (Hear, hear.) -It is less than one quarter of the number asked for for the September, 1916. quota : — viz., 32,000. The number of males reaching 20 eaoh year in this country is about 32,000; that is to say that under this scheme the number required each year for reinforcements is only 52,M0 more than tho number which become available by tha natural increase of population-. It is obvious, therefore, that in any case tho disturbance to industry will bo almost negligible. Talcing into consideration that under it tho number of men required for the great industries necessary for the prosecution of. the war will he assured by the special tribunal, that the men will not be called up before they arc actually required, that if circumstances reduce the number of men required then only the actual number required to maintain our forces at their effectivo strength will bo called up, that tribunals are provided to deal with special casts where hardship would follow from beinir called up—l say, taking all these things into consideration, and the peril in which we and every part of tho Empire now stand the electors of Australia need not hesitate lo vote for the Government's proposal. (Cheere.) "Why does the Government ask now for only 7000 men per month, as against 16,500 at the last referendum? The explanation is simple and sufficient. Reinforcements are determined by tho number of casualties. , Our object now, as then, iis to keep our ovorsea forces— the five divisions in Franco and tho troops in Palestine and elsewhere—up to their full .fighting strength, to keep the Australian units distinct, to preserve their _ identity, to prevent their absorption in other units through insufficiency of reinforcements. In September, 191G, when the British Army Council asked for 16,500 a month the great offensive on the Somme was in progress, and the battle of Pozieres had just been fought. The casualties were very heavy, amounting to nearly 20,000 a month; consequently, something approaching that number was necessary to reinforce them. But sinco then the Allied generals have learned much. Our methods are much improved. The curtain of fire behind which the troops advance to the attacks has been perfected, aclin? both as sword and shield, and casualties have very greatly decreased. * Tt costs less than one-half ns many men as formerly to take a given objective. The British Army Council and General Birdwood, in the light of tho experience of the whole of this year, have made a most careful estimate. General T.cgge (Chief of the Genernl Staff), with his own experience to guide him, working on independent lines, has arrived at practically tho same conclusion. The casualties now ore such. that. 7000 men a month aro aufficiont to keep our forces up to their full fighting strength. No new units have been formed or aro in process of formation. - We ask the electors for authority to raise by compulsion the difTerenco between the number obtained by voluntary means and 7000 a month. Seven thousand is tho maximum—we shall not exceed that number, fCheers.) The issue before the electors, therefore, is clear and distinct. Tho number of casualties demands that 7000 men a month shall be forthcoming. Under tho voluntary fysteri we cannot relv on half thnt number being obtained. Wo ask for power to supplement the nuinber raised by voluntary enlistment by compulsory ballot. "Will You Succour Thorn?" "In the lost referendum the soldiers voted 'Yes' by a majority of 13,505, In

m'° lil they voted for the Win-the-War Party by an overwhelming majority of 51,520. Thcso figures speak for themselves. They nro an appeal for reinforcements moro powerful than my lips can frame. Those of you who have relatives in tlio trenches cannot heed their cry unmoved. Tf they hungered, would von not send them food? If they wcro sick, would you not succour thorn P Their need is reinforcements. They need rest. They need help. Tlio only way you can help Hie boys at the front is io Bind moro men, who will give them a spell, who will support them. Australians, new is tlio hour when you aro to prove your mottle. Citizens, those who wish Australia to cover herself with dishonour, who wish to ovade their clear duty, who wish to bo revenged oil Britain and 1o help Germany, will siieeringly ask you of what use arc 7000 men in such a titanic conflict. Tlioy said the same when we asked for 10,500. Of what iiso aro 7000 men a month? Aro the Australian armies at tho front of no use? Even the enemy has paid glowing tributes to their valour and their endurance, 'and this 70(Khthnt wo ask for will keep our Anzacs reinforced. "This is n struggle for liberty nnd tho right of small nations to govern themselves. Australia is part of tho I'inpii'e and to tho Empiro she owes her liberty and hor safety. TJpon the Empire's victory in this war Australia's liberty nnd, national safety depend, Of "hat i:so are 7000 men? Every part of tho Emniro must do its duty. Let us do ours. I»t u.s show the Allies and tho enemy that the Empire stands united in ths cause of liberty. Wo are but a ennll ration, but we come of a great race, and, th.inks to the Anzacs, have earned the right to a great name. (Cheers.) Let us do our duty. (Cheers.) Let us stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the irreat liritish Empire, setting an exampln of calm and resolute courage that will inspire those who aro wavering in Italy and "Russia with fresh heart to fight on for liberty. T.et us prove to our soldiers in tho tranches, whoso nerve? are taut with years of heroic effort wid indescribable hardship, that we, who owe so muoh to them, are resolved to do our duty and send them help, cost what, it may." (Cheers.) ■