NATIONAL DEFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 23146, 21 December 1938, Page 11

NATIONAL DEFENCE

LABOUR AGAINST COMPULSION CONDITIONAL CO-OPERATICH Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 20. The National Council of Labour passed a resolution against compulsory national service, but declared that Labour was willing to co-operato in civilian defence conditional on the scheme being democratic and voluntary, with adequate representation of organised workers on, the bodies concerned. AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN GUIDE TO RE DISTRIBUTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 20. (Received December 21, at 1 p.m.) The House of Commons resumed the debate on national service on the Government’s revised motion recommending that the results of the voluntary national service scheme be reviewed at the end of March. Supporters of the Government critical ot its proposa.s for national sendee who tabled the amendment favouring a compulsory national register have withdrawn it, in view of the revised motion. _ Mr Ernest Brown (Minister of Labour), opening the debate, described the National _ Service Guide, which would be delivered to householders early in the new year. He emphasised that the efforts of the Government were directed to preserving the essential balance which the new conditions required between the defence services themselves and the industrial services necessary to .sustain thorn. The industrial front in a future war would be a key defensive front. Mr Greenwood said the Labour Partv was _ reserving its attitude until full details of the scheme were disclosed.