MR. WEBB, M.P.

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 915, 25 January 1918, Page 6

MR. WEBB, M.P.

Why Should He Be Exempted?

"FT looks very much to us as if a combined and organised attempt were being made by the Labour organisations to bring pressure to bear to secure the exemption of Mr. P. 0. Webb, M.P., from military service, to which, as a young unmarried man of military age. the member for Grey is liable. It would be interesting" to know who is pulling the strings behind the scenes? The argument that Mr. Webb is such a wonderful authority on the coal mining industry that he cannot be spared from Parliament is all moonshine. There are scores of decently educated young miners on the West Coast and elsewhere who are quite as capable of placing the claims and grievances of the coal miners before Parliament as ever Mr. Webb has been. The proper course for that young man to pursue would be to again resign his seat in the House and openly and strongly object to any appeal for exemption being made on'his behalf. He should go into camp and do his dutv like a man, a patriot, and a loyalist! * * * * We are glad to notice that the exemption agitation, which is being so cleverly engineered by somebody behind the scenes, does not meet with the unanimous approval of Labour. When the proposal to protest against this young man "being subjected to military service" came before the Canterbury Trades and. Labour Council the other day "a strong minority" voted against it. We trust that if any appeal is made in Mr. Webb's favour it will be promptly turned down by the Military Appeal Board. The action of other unmarried members of Parliament in volunteering for military service is in pleasant contrast to that of Mr. Webb.