COMPULSORY SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 78, 1 April 1916, Page 9

COMPULSORY SERVICE

THE FEELING OF THE COUNTRY

OPINION OF DR. M'NAB,

In the course- of a speech at Hastings last night, the Hon. Dr. M'Nab made some interesting remarks upon the com- v pulsory service question. The remarks are not without their significance 'in view of the intention of the Government ~ to introduce a Compulsory Service Bill next session. "On 10th November,. 1915/.he said, " when saying farewell to the reinforcements leaving Hastings for the front, I stated that every family which, sent one- willing soldier to the battlefield added one to. those who were clamouring 'for conscription; that every fader and mother, every wife and every sweetheart, of those who went wanted conscription for those who would not go. I also stated that 'in time there would be such a demand for conscription that the Government would be forced to adopt it.' I expressed-no personal view —I merely stated a simple fact.. "One Hastings father described the statement as 'absolutely contrary to fact/ and, following upon it, I was the recipient of all sorts of- challenges to give my authority for such wild statements, or be for ever silent. Some papers demanded that the Government shouldj put a stop to : niy advocacy'of recruiting on account of a statement on these lines. ■

"That is only four and a-half months ago. In the intervening period the old system has had to be abandoned, and a- partial compulsion system inaugurated and the force of public opinion directed into certain channels to apply a moral pressure. Local bodies have been summoned to the aid of the Government, and have, on the whole, responded very well. Regulations have been made givingl preference in the' land ballots and preference in employment to those who have offered. In certain directions we have gone so far that we. have debarred from certain State employments certain classes who. have not seen fit to volunteer. The position is a changing one from day to day. "For some time past all members of the Government have been stating on the public platform that voluntaryism is on its last trial, and the change in public opinion is so great that these remarks have excited little or no commerit. On Thursday the Prime Minister intimated that the . principal business of Parliament when it meets will be to deal with legislation giving the Government power to raise our Expeditionary ' Force by' compulsion,. and tlie statement has not excited half, the interest which was excited by the proposal to establish a municipal bakery in Hastings. Yet four and a-half months ago, when I stated that the Government would be fprced to adopt it, I was told that the statement was absolutely contrary to fact, and the Government was appealed to to recall this wild speechifier." ■ ': ■