INDUSTRIAL COMPULSION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 22, 20 August 1917, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL COMPULSION.

•CONSCRIPT THE IDLE RICH!” SAYS MR MCCOMBS. ••] want to know which of these two statements . represents the iptfieial view of the National Government; and if Labor is to be conscripted, will the Government first conscript the land ami the material instruments of production, or is it intended to conscript Labor to he used to help to earn war profits for private individuals?” Such was a question asked without notice, of the Prime Minister in Parliament on rriday by Mr J. McCombs, Labor member for Lyttelton. The Hon. G. W. Russell, he stated, was reported as having said that, while it was important to maintain reinforcements, it was “equally important ! to maintain food supplies for the Mother Country and her armies. To do this it may, and will, he necessary to take power to conscript labor not

medically Ht. for '- v ' p m each man and an being allotted that service he or she,is. best aide to, perform in order to help the great cause. Neither age nor sex can count in the ultimate recourse with which we as a iintion may yet be faced., 'Every N«ny Zealander to his or her job’ must be the slogan cry if the war is to he | won.” While Sir Francis Bell, on the [the other hand, had said. “T do not think labour will stand being requisti, ved.” > , \ e i*i •ime Minister replied that, while* be hoped that the time would not come w.>» they w-M have to conscript labour ill the wa ? suggest f he thought itmig> he necessary to Jiscourag e idleness tin qug 1011 ] e .° . . , , -r man m the minion, and make ever. . , . i 4.1 • , '«> benefit ot country do something tor u, i ’ •. , them to tin- community and to help ccp > industrially with the p~ * crisis. (Hear, hear.) V Mr McCombs: ‘‘Conscript the idu? rich!” (Hear, hear and laughter,)