CABINET CRISIS NO LONGER FEARED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 3 January 1916, Page 5

CABINET CRISIS NO LONGER FEARED

RESIGNATION 'OF SIR JOHN SIMON. . CONSIDERABLE LABOUR FEELING TO' BE OVERCOME. ■ > >» LONDON, Jan. !. It is probable "that ; Lord Kitchener, ■will too invited, "to tho LtttaouT Conference on Thursday io explain the necessity foi; the compulsion, of unmarried men. . . The Cabinet iio longer fears. a, crisis involving general resignations/ though at s is agreed that-Sir Jiohn Simon has resigned. It is (understood- that i .Mp. McK.cn na . i and Mr Runcimart made fresh yesterday as a- condition, of their' accept tance of compulsion.-- . ■■■■,. - • ■ j After hearing Mr JVlcKenna's* and.Mr I Runcimah's arguments..and- ..considering statistics the Cabinet decided .to ' fecon- : i gider the -matter on Tuesday morning, , Some of the memb'ei-s desired, the Bill' to apply to married men..,whQ_>h»}.ve. not attested as well as the ..-600,000,'unmarried men, but this was regarded as going beyond Mr.. Asquith's - pledge, so the Cabinet preferred to confine the Bill to the pledge. . * -• ' Mi* ' Henderson ib , holding aloof iroin. the -discussion in.'the Cabinet. He considers it. essential to redeem: : ». As-; qnith's pledge, but> regards'himself ,<is bound by the vote of the special con-

gress. . ■" «■ , c! ,', Labour members generally do not «losire to face a general election or to break' with th'e coalition Government, but feaT that the rank and "file of the Labourites will not agree \yith them. _ Resolutions passed by branch societies indicate that there is a. strong .feeling still to be overcome before Liibour accepts compulsion. ~..., -,A , v , The Irish Unionists strongly, oppose the omission of Ireland from the scheme on the ground that it would be national disgrace, , t < . t * • The Railway Clerks' Association have tabled a resolution for .the Labour Conference entirely disapproving of the policy of co-operation, with other politicaf parties in the recruitinc campaign.