SIR J.A. SIMON RESIGNS.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 1, 3 January 1916, Page 5

SIR J.A. SIMON RESIGNS.

&WL CJONFINEB TO MR AS-

OPPOSITION Ot IRISH UNION-

ISTS.

(R^ccivod Jan. 2, .0.5 p.m.) V ;

C'lbiiiot' no longer fears,.a. crisis,involving genial \resigriatioiis; though .-i^b ,js agveed that Sir .J. A. »Sii^on.dhas/ resigned. , -':•. ■..'';, :" ■;■•<■■'.■■fry'.' '■■■' ;i .•■''... It is understood that Mr McKenna and Mr Runeiman made ,fr<|sh proposals 3'efiterday as a condition :,of tlieir acceptance, of eonipulsion.^ T.b^y/ p^p^sfetl; |:iiat' a/lowey: l^i^ .^lt^lar-'Bo; placed' on the-, contenipia^jb^^.iex^rfc-: ■si«ft;/-of\thet; i ,ai;n^y. I:i,.;,;AftieK ':^<o:^7i!^::Mv: i]t)cjits, and, s^ajtisticsi Ct^binjftt -d^etiidecl to' recoiisiSei; the matter^ oil -^ibsday. morning-"/ .: '/ ■' \\ j" . /^i.^' '../"' ' '.Some, me.tn?>ers desired\,tha^v tlii?. 'Wfili ■shonkl be made to -?ipply w maTrle3 men vvbo had not attested1, as well as 000,000 unmarried men:. but this was regarded as going beyond Mr 'Asquith''s T)l«dge, so Cabinet preferred to confine the Bill to the pledge.

■ Mr H^iitlArson is holding aloof/from the discussions. :

Cabinet considers that it is essential +o^redeem Mr Asritjith'svpledge, , but he regards himself, as bpund by ■the. vote"'of the special. tUongress of iLabor Members •of the House of Commons,- who generally flp notyde.£ire,to face a general election or/break ..with the Coalition Government, but fear that the rank and file .or thw Laborites will not agree with them. Resolutions by branch societies indicate that 'there is.a. strong ■feeling still to be overcome before' Labor accepts compulsion:

• Irish Unionists strongly oppiosftth^ omission of Ireland froni tht> schema ■on jthe ground that it typuH be a national, disgrace. • .'• ~ The Railway Clerks* Association tabled a resolution at the Labor eoii--1 f.erenee enth-ely disapproving of a ■ policy of eo-operntion with other political parties in the recruiting campaign. ; ;.. .. ■;■ .■,••■'■'•■'"■■■