Labour Parly's Opposition

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

Labour Parly's Opposition

Breaking of Pledge Resented

"COUNTRY WEAKENED AT TIME WHEN SHOULD BE STRONG (British Official Wireless.) Received Friday, 7.40 p.m. RUGBY, April 27. The National Council of Labour will meet on Monday to consider the conscription proposal in the light of today’s House of Commons discussion. This decision was made at this morning’s meeting of executives representing the whole of British Labour. Speaking after Mr. Chamberlain in the House of Commons conscription debate, Mr. C. R. Attlee, who moved the Labour amendment, said the Labour Party was as determined as anyone else to see that the country’s defences were adequate and that Britain was in a position to fulfil her obligations, to prevent war and defeat aggression if it arose.

No section of the country was more firmly resolved than the Labour Party to resist any domination whether by Herr Hitler or anyone else, but the Labour Party was opposed to the introduction of conscription because it believed that, far from strengthening the country, it weakened and divided it at a time when it should be strong and united. Mr. Attlee further accused the Government of not dealing frankly with the Opposition and trade union leaders, who had worked hard at the organisation of voluntary service on the strength of the Government’s pledge not to introduce conscription. Mr. Winston Churchill said he found it easier to support the Government’s measures than to admire its methods. He could readily understand Mr. Attlee’s complaint. Referring to Herr Hitler’s speech to-morrow, Mr. Churchill said he did not attach any particular importance to it since threats from that quarter could make the situation no worse. He felt the Government’s declaration in favour of compulsion must be endorsed immediately by tho House of Commons by the largest possible majority. In the House of Lords, Lord Stanhope moved a resolution approving the Government proposals in similar terms to Mr. Chamberlain in the House of Commons. Lord Stanhope said it was borno in on the Government that nothing could carry such conviction as to our strength of purpose as the introduction of conscription and that our refusal to do so would inevitably leave in the minds of men in other countries an element of doubt and uncertainty, w'hich often was a cause of misunderstanding and crisis. Although tho Government was accused of a policy of encirclement of Germany and Italy, it had no aggressive designs against those two countries or any other country. Britain’s sole object was to strengthen the cause of peace. Mr. Hore Belisha, speaking in London, said: "The plan announced by Mr. Chamberlain yesterday under which six months’ intensive training will be given to all men between 20 and 21 will fill the gap while the slower process of assembling and preparing the new Territorial formations is taking place. While it is in operation the plan will add each year to our resources a reserve strength of trained men approximating in numbers to the whole of our existing Regular Army. No voluntary scheme on a part-time basis could secure such a rapid accretion of trained strength. In an emergency the Territorial Army is capable of manning in a most efficient manner our anti-aircraft defences but, being in civilian employment, men cannot be there all the time. Tho new scheme will provide personnel who wili always be at war positions holding the fort until the arrival of the Territorials and thus we shall be given an additional measure of security. The existing Regular Army, which is below establishment, could not possibly, in addition to its other responsibilites, find men for this duty. On purely practical ground;-, therefore, the scherno will achieve the maximum of advantage to the nation with the minimum of hardship to the individual. In no way is the voluntary system for recruiting for ‘the Regular and Territorial Armies qualified.