WORKERS AND MUNITIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 33

WORKERS AND MUNITIONS

AD Dll ESS BY MR LLOYD GEORGE LONDON, June 4.

Addressing the Dockers Battalion at Liverpool, Mr Lloyd George said : “Never was there a war wherein labour at Home counted for so much. If it gets disorganised and does not puli with the Government and the State the result will be that the whole war-machine will be clogged, broken, and disorganised, and the end will be that we will be defeated—not because our soldiers are not valiant, for they are as brave as ever; not because they are not fighting skilfully; but because they are not getting the necessary support at Home.

“The fact that you have submitted to military conditions shows that you are prepared to do your duty to your country in the greatest crisis that has ever befallen it. If everyone does his duty as you are doing, we shall win through in the end.” Addressing the employers at the Town Hall, Liverpool, Mr Lloyd George said he intended to use the business and brain of the community. This was not a time for the usual roundabout red-tapish methods of a Government. He requested those present immediately to elect a committee of management and organise the district for the production of munitions. He also made a similar appeal to Labour, and said : “ Should Germany win—well, God help Labour; it would come out the worst of all.” The Government appealed to the patriotism of trades unionists to suspend their rules, so that the country might be enabled to turn out the munitions necessary to win a real, speedy triumph.

THE CASE STRONGLY PUT.

LONDON, June 5.

Mr Lloyd George, in the course of his speech at Manchester, said; “ The French have gallant men, and the Russians overwhelming masses. No doubt we want more. They’ll come at the call, but we want workshops, so that we may be equipped with wea= pons to shatter to dust a cruel military despotism and attain a glorious end. The State needs the help of each of you. A French private firm gave the State assistance at a critical hour, which was of value beyond computation. It enabled us to pierce the Ger= man lines.

“ I am here to ask you to help to equip our armies. It means breaking through the German lines. Our op= ponents have conscription. They are entitled to call upon the youth of the nation who have refused or have not sufficiently responded to appeals. The horrors cabled from the battlefield are onlv sending men to the recruiting office in greater numbers. God speed that great story. I would like to see recruiting continued on the same exalted level to the concluding chap= ter, I am convinced that we have not yet concentrated half our industrial strength. The conflict is one of war munitions. We are fighting the best organised nation in the world, and will need the utmost strength of our resources in turning out munitions. That means victory, and an enormous saving of life. “ I would say to the workmen and masters: ‘ In turning out shell you are not only killing the enemy but saving the lives of comrades.’ I ask the engineering firms —masters, men,

and everybody’—to put their strength into this task, to save the lives of the most gallant set of fellows who ever quitted our shores.—(Cheers). It has been decided that compulsory powers are essential to the best utilisation of oin resources. We have a great volun* tary army, but it took months to en« list; we cannot afford months to en= list our Intiuslrial army.”

RCTSSI AN EXPERIENCE

LONDON, June 6

Speaking at Manchester yesterday, Mr Lloyd George said : “If all the skilled engineers in the country and those who enlisted and were brought back set about the production of munitions, working to the utmost limits of human endurance, we would still not have enough labour to produce all that would be asked during the next few months. The men’s lives at the front depended upon war material. There is no room for slackers.”

After mentioning the number of women employed at sholl factories in France, Mr Lloyd George said ho hoped that any trade union regulations preventing the same here would be suspended during war time. Petrograd reports of the fall of Przemysl emphasise the necessity for a greater supply of munitions and equipment, which the Russian industries were unable to provide single-handed. Hence she must assume the defensive till these arrived. They w-ere holding the enemy's forces on the Russians’ front.

UP. LONDON, June 5

The men employed by" Brunner, Mond, and Co. are “speeding up” iu the manufacture of munitions. They are starting work 105 minutes earlier daily. Many other workers and firms are warmly responding to Mr Lloyd George’s appeals.

GIGANTIC DISPUTE HINTED AT LONDON. June 4.

The Management Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions has issued a manifesto hinting at the possibility of a gigantic industrial dispute in Lancashire, and stating that some manufacturers, feeling the pressure of arti-ficially-inflated coal prices, are talking of shutting down their factories. Throughout Lancashire the workpeople are demanding bonuses to meet the increased cost of living. The manifesto regrets the Government’s failure to deal effectively with food and coal prices and war profits, but urges the men to avoid industrial disputes.

BULGARIA PREPARING. ATHENS, June 4,

The news that Bulgaria has concentrated her army on the frontier is causing grave anxiety at Constantinople. Reinforcements have been sent to Adrianople and Kirk Kilisse.

WASTAGE IN GERMAN OFFICERS LONDON, June 4.

“Eye-witness” writes; “The German Government has taken special steps to remedy the enormous wastage of officers and yet not to interfere with the jealouslyguarded rule to retain the exclusive caste principle. Promotion from the ranks nominally operates, and non-coms., for brilliant services, can be raised to the rank of acting officer. But in practice such promotions are extremely rare, and the regulation is merely intended to give the impression that this democratic principle is recognised. The new practice amounts to appointing reserve officers, who will not retain their commissions after the war, and thus their inferior sccial status will not affect the exclusiveness of the officers’ caste. Two additional ranks have been created, not equal to commissioned rank, but involving their permanence as officers. It is evident that not even the frightful wastage has seriously impaired the dominance of the officer caste. The strain of the campaign, the losses suffered without adequate results,' the failure to achieve victories, have not shaken popular faith in the military hierarchy controlling the destinies of Germany.”

GENERAL NEWS. LONDON, June 5

The Duke of Devonshire has succeeded Captain C. F. Lambert as Fourth Lord of the Admiralty. The Re-election of Ministers Bill has passed the House of Lords and received the Royal Assent.

There are 2210 old Etonians in the army and navy, of whom 341 have been killed, 463 wounded, and 261 mentioned in despatches.

The Press Bureau states that the trial at the Old Bailey in camera before the Lord Chief Justice, Mr Justice Avory, and Mr Justice Lush, Muller, a German spy, was sentenced to death by shooting, and Hahn to seven years’ penal servitude. The magistrate at the Mansion House, on the ground that the prosecution had failed to establish its case, dismissed the summons against The Times and Colonel Richardson, who were charged with having unlawfully published news that would be a benefit to the enemy. The Press Bureau states that the German spy Robert Rosenthal, arrested as he was leaving the country, where he had been for a short period, confessed that ho had been sent by the German Admiralty to obtain naval information. AMSTERDAM, June 5.

An important new Bill has been prepared. extending the Dutch Landsturm to

all who have hitherto been exempted from military service. The German military authorities estimate that the war will last another year.

CLAIMS AGAINST ALIENS

MELBOURNE, June 5.

A Bill has been introduced in the Victorian Legislative Assembly to enable claimants against enemy subjects to enforce payment of their claims.

BICKERINGS IN AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE, June 5

Senator Pearce states that although it is Australia’s fixrst duty to supply reinforcements to the units now engaged, the authorities would offer additional infantry brigades if the men were forthcoming. . In the Federal House of Representatives Mr Cook, blaming the Government for its complacency, said this was the only part of the Empire where Parliament was not concentrated on national matters. They could not expect the people to take the position seriously when their leaders were stirring up party strife. Not only was mobilisation of men wanted, but also of our resources.

Sir William Irvine supported compulsory enrolment. The Hon. Mr Jensen declared that practically the whole of the news passed by the London Press Bureau was public Ted here, and only in exceptional cases was the Australian censorship exorcised. ALIEN SUBJECTS. LEGISLATION IN NEW ZEALAND. WELLINGTON, June 5. The Government has appointed Mr A. D. Thomsen (Assistant Civil Service Commissioner). Mr John Roberts, C.M.G. (Dunedin), and Mr George Elliot (Auckland) an Ad\ Lory Board to deal with matters affecting alien subjects.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES.

LONDON, June 4 (9.15 p.m.)

Cameroons reports state that the Allies drove off the enemy from a strong position at Njok; our losses were not heavy. Army Casualties : Officers —Killed, 18 ; wounded, 25; gas-killed, 1; injured by gas, 5; missing, 1; prisoners, 24. Men— Killed, 625; wounded, 1314; gas-killed, 1; injured by gas, 49; missing, 148.

LONDON, June 5 (0.10 a.m.)

A Rome message states that the Italians have occupied Mattasone and Yalmordia, in Val Larsa. The Austrian forts at Spitzverle were.silenced, and the forts at Belvedere and Busoverle seriously damaged. At Camea an enemy battery on Monte Croce, at the Carnigo Pass, was silenced. In the offensive against the spurs of Monte Nero, worth-west of 01mino, the Italians met with great difficulties. The fight lasted all Thursday, and fortunes w’ere constantly fluctuating. The Italians arc firmly in possession of Monte Nero summit and slopes, and their losses were not serious. The battle is continuing with fresh Italian troops in order to gain a decision. On the rest of the front the forward movement continues.

LONDON, June 5 (1.5 a.m.). Dardanelles Casualties: Officers —Killed, 1; wounded, 3.

The Admiralty reports that during the week ended Wednesday, June 2, 1380 vessels arrived from and sailed for British ports. Eight vessels were submarined, the total tonnage being 23,363. , War casualties :—Officers—killed 12, wounded 13, gas killed 1, gas poisoned 3, missing 3; Canadians —men killed 22, wounded 90, gas poisoned 14, missing 74; other forces —men killed 502, wounded 928, wounded and gas poisoned 32, wounded and missing 60, missing 263.

British Mediterranean losses :—Men — killed 369, wounded 618, missing 40.