THE SERVICE BILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16687, 6 May 1916, Page 7

THE SERVICE BILL.

PASSES SECOND READING

SPEECH BY IE ILOYD GEORGE

ACTIVITY IN THE WEST

POPULATION LEAVING METZ

THE FIGHTING AT MORTHOMME

REPLY TO AMERICAN NOTE

HANDED TO MR GERARD

DEMANDS CONCEDED WITH A CONDITION

BRAZIL DISPLAYING ANGER

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

THE SERVICE BILL SIR E. CARSON AND MR ASQUITH. LONDON, May 4. Sir E. Carson, at a luncheon tendered him by the Unionist War Committee, said he was glad of the introduction of the Service Bill. One of the Prime Minister's greatest defects -was that, despite his great abilities, he endeavoured to apply peace methods and party /politics while waging war. He always abjectly apologised for his proposals, and was not enthusiastic about anything except in his own defence, and he only applied his eloquence when the time arose to screen the negligence and ineptitude of others. The outbreak in Ireland was due to the fault of one of his own colleagues. Mr Asquith used troops bravely to cover up the negligence and incompetence of his colleagues.

TWO IMPORTANT PROVISIONS

LONDON, May 4.

The Military Service Bill renders employers liaible for having eligible men in their employ. Under the Bill the police are empowered to challenge persons in the streets to produce their exemption certificate. ■

REJECTION MOVED.

UNJUSTIFIABLE INROADS UPON THE INDIVIDUAL.

BRITISH CREDIT. LONDON, May 4. In the House ol Commons, Mr Holt (Liberal, Hexham) moved the rejection of the Military Service Bill on the ground that it is excessively developing the military side of our efforts in the war and is making unjustifiable inroads upon the individual. Our supremacy on the sea, he urged, was the most .vital point in the successful prosecution of the. "war. . If the navy lost its supremacy 20,000,000 men at the front would not save us from disaster. Furthermore, the Allies must increasingly depend on British credit, and if this were impaired the Allies' campaign would fail and Prussian militarism would triumph. Mr Lees Smith (Liberal, Southampton) seconded the motion.

SPEECH BY.MR LLOYD GEORGE.

A FUNDAMENTAL AXIOM.

WHY RUSSIA FAILED.

BRITAIN'S CAPABILITIES. LONDON, May 4.

During the debate on the motion for the rejection of the Bill, .Mr Lloyd George said that the position was that Germany was in possession of Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro, and an important part of France, and had huge forces in Poland and the Balkans. It was a fundamental axiom of military scienoe that we could drive out an entrenched foe only by superior numbers. It was true that the Allies had an overwhelming superiority in men; therefore he was confident of the issue. But there must be a superiority of equipped men. The Russians' comparative failure last year was due to lack of equipment, and although there had since been an improvement in that respect, until Russia was able to fully equip her men it was essential that France and Britain should put every man in the field forthwith—and the enemy knew it. He doubted whether those asking for the rejection of tlhe Bill realised the seriousness of their action. The military authorities said that it would make the difference between defeat and victory that they should secure men immediately. He would rather be driven out of public life than have the .responsibility of refusing them the men. It was not true that any men would be taken if they were essential to national occupations. He had it on the best financial authority that we could outstay for years anything that Germany could do. The Government, after prolonged examination, had decided that it was absolutely essential to call up every available man and prepare him for the field. The country as a whole favoured a measure which was not contrary to Liberal principles. No nation" faced with i great military peril ever saved itself without some sort of compulsion, and this was truer of democracies than autocracies. Britain was not so paralytic that she could not demand the services of her citizens. France, Italy, and Serbia were defending themselves by compulsion. If anyone said that conscription was against the principles of true democracy then he was talking in defiance of the teaching of history and common sense.

THE WORKERS.

THE CHANCELLOR PROTESTS.

LONDON, May 5. (Received May 6, at 0.30 a.m.)

UNATTESTED MEN. LONDON, May 5. (Received May 6, at 0.45 a.m.)

Mr Lloyd George said that if we summoned men from the Empire to the colours in the same proportion as France has done we would still have a substantial margin to make up before we had made the same sacrifices as France. He did not want the Germans to make any mistake; he wanted them to know that in order to make the difference between victory and defeat, between liberty and submission to the Prussian yoke, this country would summon the whole of its manhood to the colours. It was said that if we did that there would be trouble amongst labour, bat the working classes had accepted the position in a patriotic spirit.

(Received Mav 5, at 10.55 p.m.) Mr Lloyd George, at the conclusion of his speech, protested against talk about the attitude of the workers as if they were not an essential part of the nation, and only to be regarded as doubtful neutrals who at any moment might be converted into formidable foes. They knew they would lose more by Prussian domination than by any other class. They knew that if the Kaiser triumphed it would be but tlie beginning of war, for humanity could not endure such a yoke.

BILL PASSES SECOND READING, LONDON, May 4. The Military Service Bill was read a second time toy 328 votes to 36.

END OF THE DEBATE. THE SINGLE MEN. % LONDON, May 5. (Received May 6, at 0.45 a.m.) Sir John Simon, who led the opposition to the Bill, denied that it would increase the national strength. Mr Henderson wound up the debate. He said that LtJrd Derby had estimated that there were 650,000 single men of military age. It was now found that there were 750,000, of whom the military could expect to. obtain" 340,000, and of these 187,726 were already with the colours. . ' A GREAT SPEECH. FULL OF ENERGY AND CONVIOTION. LONDON, May 5. (Received May 6, at 0.45 a.m.) Mr Lloyd George has been so long silent that his speech was awaited with intense interest. He spoke for three-quarters of an hour. He' was full of energy, and the conviction with which he said each word suggested that he had gained a victory in the Cabinet. On the contrary, he referred to the Cabinet as a perfectly united body. In the peroration denouncing those who represented the working classes as " neutrals" he was highly effective, and his remarks were greeted with long applause.

The Daily News points out that Mr Lloyd George dissociated himself from the limitation of the Cabinet of the recruiting of unattested men to 200,000, and declared for unlimited enlistment. THE FARIS PRESS. THE BILL WELCOMED. " ACTIVE OPERATIONS ESSENTIAL." PARIS, May 5. (Received May 5, at 10.55 p.m.) The newspapers welcome the Military Service Bill.

The Journal attributes the reform to Mr Lloyd George's energy and strength. His personality is daily growing more clear. The paper pays a tribute to Mr Asquith's cleverness in avoiding defeat. M. Clemenceau, writing, says that Mr Asquith's words showing the effort tihe British Empire has made will increase France's assurance and confidence in final success.

The Journal des Debats, in a frank leading article, concludes that the Allies have not a day to lose if they wish decisive successes in 1916. "This is no longer a time for a wait-and-see policy. Active operations are essential. We are confident the Allies will carry them out." The Intransigeant, under the heading "True Friends," asks Frenchmen who are sceptical of the extent of Britain's effort to recall what position they would have been in if Britain tad maintained a correct neutrality.