SPECIAL LABOUR CAMPAIGN

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 29

SPECIAL LABOUR CAMPAIGN

LONDON, September 30. The Press Bureau states that Mr Arthur Henderson has announced that, having heard Lord Kitchener’s and Mr Asquith’s statements of the military position, on Tuesday held a joint Labour Conference with the Pariiamentary Labour party to-day. He declared his belief that recruits for the army, navy, and war factories can be obtained by voluntary methods. The conference pledged itself to assist the Government, and decided to organise a special labour recruiting campaign throughout the United Kingdom. The conference suggested that recruiting would be more successful if the Government announced the results achieved in the future. The Government must also insist that employers shall not prevent their workers from enlisting. LORD KITCHENER’S PLAN. A MILITARY BALLOT. LONDv.-,, September 30. The Manchester Guardian reports that Lord Kitchener, addressing the Labour Conference on the 28th inst., said he preferred the voluntary- system, but the present rate of recruiting was inadequate. There was no question of raising the army required, he said; that had been done already r . The problem was to fill the gaps. His own plan, which he had not yet submitted to the Cabinet, was for a military ballot by which every' district would furnish its quota—voluntarily if possible, otherwise by' ballot. After hearing Mr Asquith, the conference decided to organise a purely Labour campaign of recruiting.