OVERSEAS SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24127, 20 November 1941, Page 9

OVERSEAS SERVICE

CONSCRIPTION URGED MOVE IN AUSTRALIA RETURNED SOLDIERS' LEAGUE (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 18 The Returned Soldiers' League, at the Federal conference at Brisbane, decided on a campaign for conscription throughout Australia. The league wants Australia to conscript all industries, manpower and wealth immediately. A move planned by some returned soldier members of the Opposition in the Senate to force the Government's hand on the conscription of manpower for overseas service is expected in Canberra in the next few days. It is expected that an attempt will be made to amend the National Security Act by deleting the clause which forbids the Government to impose compulsory service for overseas. The Opposition has a majority in the Senate, but if the amendment is passed there it will have to go to the House of Representatives, where the Government's majority is the two Independents, Messrs. J. Wilson and A. W. Coles. South Australia has formed an Australian War Service League, the aims of which are the conscription of manpower, womanpower, wealth and all other resources. The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, today condemned conscription, which ho said would make for disunity in the Commonwealth. Conscription was impracticable, and it would be abhorrent to Australians to conscript men for the Navy and Air Force. The number of men serving voluntarily on the land, sea and in the air was evidence that conscription was not necessary.

YOUNGER OFFICERS DECISION IN CANADA OTTAWA. Nov. 18 The Minister of Defence, Colonel J. L. Ralston, announced that henceforth major-generals in the Canadian Army will retire at the age of 57, brigadiers and colonels at 54, and lieutenantcolonels at 51. He said the conditions of modern war imposed a degree of physical and mental exertion resulting, with rare exceptions, in officers above certain ages being unequal to the strain. This docision would not be applied to officers at base units. CAPTURED FREIGHTER COURT ORDER ISSUED (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov. 18 A mossago from San Juan, Porto Rico, savs a libel order, signed in the Federal District Court, to-day gave the United States Government a title to the Gorman ship Odenwald, which was captured by an American cruiser in the Atlantic after the crew had attempted to scuttle it. The libel was for salvage, not forfeiture, as the vessel was abandoned when it was seized, and taken to Porto Rico.