NATIONAL SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23352, 22 May 1939, Page 9

NATIONAL SERVICE

LABOUICS SUPPORT AID IN CIVIL DEFENCE MILITARY TRAINING ISSUE COMPULSION APPROVED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 21, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 20 By the overwhelming majority of 3,923,000 to 550,000 on a card vote, , the Trades Union Congress defeated the advocates of drastic action against military training and accepted the council's recommendation that trades unionists should not withdraw their co-operation from the Government in voluntary national service for civil defence. The congress also rejected by 4,172,000 votes to 425,000 the railwaymen's proposal for a general strike against military training. The conference resolved by 3,678,000 votes to 450,000, to protost that the introduction of compulsory military training was in violation of Mr. Chamberlain's pledge and other undertakings; to urge immediate agreement with Russia to create a peace front; to co-operate with the United States in re-establishing international confidence leading to disarmament and restoration of trade; to express indignation at rushing the Military Training Bill through Parliament without consideration of important amendments; to oppose permanency or extension of military conscription, and to demand that the Government control prices, limit profits and conscript wealth. The resolution involved the acceptance on a broad basis of a scheme dealing with war-time industrial problems and wider recognition of collective bargaining, which will be negotiated with the Ministry of Labour. The Daily Herald says the trades unions' demands for the control of prices and the conscription of wealth and for a complete agreement between Britain and Russia voice the feelings of the vast majority of the British people. BILL FAVOURED CAMBRIDGE STUDENTS MR. CHURCHILL'S ADDRESS DICTATORS* DECEIT LONDON, May 19 After listening to an address by Mr. Winston Churchill, Cambridge undergraduates voted in support of the Military Training Bill. . Mr. Churchill urged the placing of national defence and foreign policy upon a plane above party, and apart from political antagonisms. He said the Government, which allowed Czecho-Slovakia to be broken and disarmed, was surprised and horrified when Herr Hitler marched into Prague, subjugated the Czechs and stole all their belongings. The Government felt that Herr Hitler had deceived and defrauded them, even as did Signor Mussolini, in whom they had confidently trusted. The Government turned round, over a week-end and adopted the very policy its opponents had long advocated. It contained the best hopes of peace, and, if peace should be broken, the best hopes of victory and the survival of free nations. The Government had now made commitments on all" sides which, if resolutely carried out, could ward off all dangers. A ballot taken by the Cambridge Undergraduate Council resulted in 1569 voting for the Government's military training plan and 1247 against, while 2078 favoured a full military alliance between Britain and Russia, and 703 opposed it.