Commons Adopts Conscription

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 5

Commons Adopts Conscription

Measure to Limit Profit on Armaments Promised

Mr Chamberlain’s Grave View United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. LONDON, April 27. “I do not want to give the idea that I think war is imminent, but I do think wo arc in such a condition that a very little weight one way or the other might decide whether war was going to come or not.” These words were spoken by the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, during the debate in the House of Commons on his announcement that the Government had decided to conscript all men between the ages of 20 and 21. It was hoped that definite proposals for limiting profit would be laid before Parliament at a very early date, Mr. Chamberlain said. The Government’s view was that, if war should ever come again, it felt that taxes on the very wealthy must be further and substantially increased. The Government also felt that profiteering in wartime should be subjected to special penalties. The proposal was not the substitution of the compulsory system for the voluntary system, but was designed to meet only temporary needs.

A motion that the House should approve the Government’s proposal to introduce as soon as possible a system of compulsory military training was moved by Mr. Chamberlain. The motion declared that such a system was necessary for the safety of the country and the fulfilment of the undertakings recently given to certain countries in Europe, and welcomed the fact that the Government was associating with this proposal fresh legislative powers to limit the profits of firms engaged mainly in armament production. The motion also gave an assuranct ;hat, in the event of war, steps would 3e taken to penalise profiteering and prevent additions to individual for:unes out of war-created conditions. The motion was adopted by 376 votes :o 145. The Prime Minister said two days vould be given to the second reading )f the Conscription Bill, the first oi vhich would be Thursday next. Referring to the pledge given in the louse of Commons in the past not tc ntroduce conscription in peacetime .vithin the lifetime of this Parliament, vlr Chamberlain said he wanted to point >ut that the occasion on which the pledge was given was very different Irom to-day. The fact was, Mr Chamberlain added, that to-day the Government no longer thought the needs of the country could be met by the voluntary system if that system were to stand alone. The assurances given to Poland, Greece and Rumania had enormously increased British liabilities. It would be a mistake to suppose, although the number of men affected in a single year by the conscription proposals was not large, that from the military point of view it was not Important. To have the certain knowledge that on a definite day a definite number of men would be available who could be trained in a definite time was Df first importance in planning military operations. The Government was associating with this other fresh proposals designed to meet tho views of the Opposition, with which the Government had every sympathy, that when people were asked to undertake compulsory service M ought not at the same time be permitted to others perhaps not sharing in the obligation to be enriched cut of the country’s need. The Labour amendment on the conscription proposals was defeated by 380 votes to 143.

had approved. This policy would easily be injured if tho Government had not tuken the latest step. He added: "We pay far too much attention to Herr Hitler’s speeches and too little study to the marshalling of his forces and the spread of his authority. ’ ’ Mr. Churchill expressed the opinion that the conscription plan was somewhat small. He urged that more classes should be called up. He declared that the main resistance to the Nazi dictatorship came from the mass of the people. "We have reached a point when gestures are not enough," he declared. "We want not only gestures but an army, and that quiet soon. There has been a war going on for nearly three years which we have been losing." Colonel J. C. Wedgwood (Labour) said that, whatever the result might be in the lobbies that night, tho country w ould remain united. The difficulty was that it was badly led. Compulsion would not strengthen the defences one iota within six months. The former First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. Duff-Cooper, w'ho has just returned from Paris, described the effect of the new British policy as electric in France, where there had been for many weeks an intense antiBritish campaign. Mr. Arthur Greenwood, winding up for Labour, said that tho Prime Minister had no right to put the country in pawn because he had made commitments to three countries who would never want one division of British infantry. "Indeed," ho said, "wo could not get it there. "The British Labour movement is not going to sacrifice freedom at the dictates of the totalitarian States, but warns potential aggressors that it will keep its freedom and that it will fight for what it has won." HOUSE APPROVES WITHOUT DIVISION LONDON, April 27. The Lord Chancellor, replying to the debate on conscription in tho House of Lords, which followed tho lines of the debate in the House of Commons, said: "This is a moment of extreme gravity in the history of Britain and the Empire. Tho possibility of hostilities with the greatest military Power the world has ever known must be reckoned with. The onus resting on tho Prime Minister and the Foreign and Defence Ministers is almost more than any human being should be asked to bear.” Tho House of Lords approved the Government’s action without a division. IN HALF THE TIME WAR OFFICE SUPPLY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE LONDON, April 27. "To strengthen the country to defend itself and its causes and to secure peace, all else must be subordinated to avoid being outstripped and overborne should European and Asian tendencies reach a climax," said the War Minister, Mr. Hore-Belisha, in a speech at the Constitutional Club. The proper organisation of man-, power was a natural counterpart of the organisation of supply, concerning which he revealed that the War Office’s original five-year plan had been completed in half the time. LLOYD GEORGE VOTES FOR CONSCRIPTION "PREPARATIONS MUST KEEP PACE WITH EVENTS” LONDON, April 28. Seven Opposition Liberals, including Mr. Lloyd George and his family, voted with the Government on the conscription proposals. Speaking in the debate, the War Minister, Mr. L. Hore-Belisha, said: "Events move quickly, and tho tempo of our preparations must keep pace." Outlining the present military resources of Britain, he said that the Regular Army establishment was 224,000 and its strength 204,000. He would presently ask the House to increase the establishment. The Territorial establishment was 325,000 and its strength 167,000. The Anti-Aireraft Army establishment was 96,000 and its strength 80,000. .Territorial recruits had been enlisting since April 1 at the rate of 2000 daily. No voluntary scheme would secure so rapid an accretion of trained strength as the Government’s plan, which gave

The amendment read: “While prepared to take all the necessary steps to provide for the safety of the nation and the fullment of its international obligations; this House regrets that the Government, in breach of its pledges, should abandon the voluntary principle, which has not failed to provide the manpower ifeeded for defence. This House is of the opinion that the measure is ill-con-ceived and, so far from adding materially to the effective defence of the, country, will promote division and discourage national effort, and is further evidence that the Government's conduct of affairs throughout these critical times does not merit the confidence of the country or the House.” Sir Archibald Sinclair, in moving thd Liberal amendment, stressed the unittf ef all parties on the subject of defence] Their differences related only to meth-, od. The Liberal amendment read: "While expressing the British people’s firm resolve to make the greatest contribution of which the country is capable in resistance to aggression, and maintenance of world order, this House cannot approve of the proposed departure from the principle of voluntary service at a time when the rate of recruitment is outpacing the supply of war equipment nor could it at any time approve of a partial system which would place the whole burden of compulsory service on young men between the ages of 20 and 21."

Mr. Winston Churchill (Conservative) said: "Wo must be careful uot to fail in the Common Cause. ’ ’ Parliament, ho added, had accepted the now policy to build up a defensive bloc pledged to resist further Nazi aggression, in pursuance of which she had made a series of tremendous and staggering commitments which all parties

the Regular Army a considerable trained reserve. Secondly, it enabled antiaircraft defences to be permanently manned. The Opposition feared that labour might be conscripted. The Government had no intention of doing so. NATIONAL REGISTER AT HOME SCHEDULE OF RESERVED OCCUPATIONS (British Official Wireless.) Received Friday, 7.5 p.m. RUGBY, April 27. Sir John Anderson, Lord Privy Seal, stated in the House of Commons that the schedule of reserved occupations had been carefully examined and as a result amendments had been made which would remove from tho operation of the schedule in peacetime about 1,500,000 men between 25 and 50. Of these some 630,000 were under 35 years of age, giving a further field of recruitment for the Territorial Field Army. The remainder between 35 and 50 years would be available for anti-aircraft, coast defences and similar units, as well as for whole-time service in various branches of the civil defences. A further examination of the situation : light bo required in view of Mr. Chamberlain’s announcement yesterday.