COMPULSION

Evening Star, Issue 15913, 20 September 1915, Page 3

COMPULSION

AND CABINET DISSENSION. LLOYD GEORGE AND HIS CHIEF. LONDON'S VOLUBLE PRESS. •n. i, *i. Lo ™ o *, September 17. ••-UioUfh the evening newspapers repudiate the 'Daily NewsV more startC assertions with regard to national service 3 Jirl nomas s threats continue to be the topic of prune importance. The newspapers plead the promptest settlement, demand that Lord Kitchener give a decision as to the necessity of compulsory service and discuss Cabinet intrigue in all its bearings. It is generally agreed that Mr Lloyd George, Lord Ourzon, and Lord Selborne aye _ heading the out-and-out compul siomsts, lavoring compulsory labor in tho lactones and workshops in addition to military service. Mr Churchill and Sir l<- L. femrth hold similar views. 'houtrh lees emphatic. Lord Lansdowne, Mr Bonar Law, and Mr Chamberlain took part m the recent conference. The compulsion problem first came to -j head m July, but the crisis vas postponed by means of a compromise ore- the national segUter. which still has not been tully tested. Ihe compuleionists are now aimous to force the pace, largely owing to the strong line which the voluntaries headed by Mr M'Kenna, Sir J. \. Simon d T MI " have recently taken. Mr Lloyd George's preface and Mv Harcourt's optimistic speech accentuated the breach. A section of Cabinet is now i n favor oi a reduction of the number of members of Cabinet, hehe\ing that it is unwieldy for the conduct of the war. They desire the reduction to take the form of the elimination of the voluntarists, placing Mr Lloyd George in supreme command Ihe weightier members of Cabinet, headed by Mr Asquith and Mr Balfour favor compulsion only if it is essential to victory, and are striving for a compromise to preserve the unity of the Government. Ihe majority of the newspapers ridicule the idea of an election. _ It is understood tliat Mr Churchill iavors a. referendum to avoid the turmoil ot an election. Tho matter will bo ful.lv discussed in Parliament shortly, as it will be necessary to amend the Parliament Bill to avoid aii election :n January. The 'Star' protests against forcing Mr Asquith, Sir E. Grey, and Lord Kitchener to walk the. plank in order to hoist the coi'scription flag. The ' Evenicg News' opines that Mr Thomas in all honesty went too far in threatening a stoppage. The trade unions would. not_ f.'iil the Government if tf-ey should decide that compulsion is essential to victory. It has been suggested that the raihravmen and) tire miners should be exempted from conscription, but Mr Thomas, on behalf of the railwaymen, and Mr Smillis on behalf of ihe miners, have already repudiated this as a bribe. The Unionist newspapers generally ridicule the story of a Cabinet plot. The 'Daily Mail' says that an eminent member of the Cabinet described it as pestilential nonsense. The 'Daily News' says that about oneHalf of the Liberal members of the House of Commons oppose conscription, one-sixth are in favor of it, and the rest wait the Government's lead.

LEGITIMATE FEARS. SYDNEY, September 18. The Chief Justice of New South Wales, speaking at a' send-off to the University Law School men going to the front, said that we were still threatened with a horriblerisk, not of defeat, but- of this proud Empire being forced to acquiesce in an inglorious and fallacious peace. Such a peace -would leave all its powers of mischief to a nation knowing no scruple. It would he_ a peace guaranteed only by a treaty with a nation that knows no treaty. _ Heaven protect our Empire from the ruling of any pacifist who, in spite of those horrors for which the enemy are responsible, can still be too proud to fight. The present position was • analogous .’ty.

that of the early American, settlers, trho had, every man, to be prepared to fight to escape destruction by the savages. Such circumstances did not mead compulsion to iruqsire men to the supreme duty of protecting the community.

INDISPENSABLE WORKMEN. LONDON, September 18. The ‘ Daily Chronicle ’. states that Lord Lansdowne’s Committee are making a schedule of the trades and industries from recruiting is prohibited. This is attaining formidable proportions, and after all the deductions have been made the number of men available for military service will be less than is commonly supposed. RAILWAYMEN GRATEFUL. • LONDON, September 18. The Railwaymen’s Executive unanimously congratulated Mr Thomas, M.T., upon his speech in Parliament, and hare instructed him to immediately summon the committee if the Government introduce proposals for compulsory military service. COALMINERS CONCILIATORY. LONDON, September 18. Tile workmen at the Standard Collieries have decided to resume if the management do not oppose them.