DEFENCE OF BRITAIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19267, 8 March 1937, Page 13

DEFENCE OF BRITAIN

NO CONSCRIPTION

“WOULD SPIRT NATION”

LONDON, Feb. 15. “Should conscription be introduced it would split the nation from top to bottom, and have dangerous reactions on the Dominions,” declares tho Daily Herald in denying widespread nimouis that the .Government had decided upon some form of conscription as part of the national defence pro-

gramme. The Government, i! is stated, had not contemplated and did not at present contemplate the introduction of compulsory military training, but the new army estimates, which will be presented during the next few weeks, will provide for the expenditure of more millions for the encouragement of voluntary enlist meat in the regular and territorial armies.

The Daily Herald slates flint the Secretary for War, Air. Dull! Cooper, is regarded as a failure. “The Cabinet,” it says, “is not considering conscription because it would create a major political crisis, shaking the National Government. It might even cause grave industrial disturbances when the authorities want to concentrate on the rearmament programme. It would also be a costly experiment.”