NATIONAL SERVICE BILL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 698, 6 May 1916, Page 10

NATIONAL SERVICE BILL.

MR LLOYD GEORGE'S SPEECH. COMPULSION THE SAVIOUR OF DEMOCRACY. LONDON, May 4. Continuing his speech in . the House of Commons on the motion to reject the National Service Bill (the first part of which was published yesterday), Mr Lloyd George said that the country as a whole was in favour of the measure, which was not contrary to Liberal principles. No nation faced with a great military peril had ever saved itself without some sort of compulsion. This was truer of democracies than of autocracies. Britain was no) so paralytic that she could not demand the services of her citizens. France, Italy, and Serbia were defending themselves by compulsion. If anyone said thai conscription was against the principles of true democracy, then he was talking in defiance of the teachings of history and common-sense. If we had summoned the men of the Empire to the Colours in the .same proportion as Fiance, 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 il we did that there would be trouble in the ranks of labour, but the working classes had accepted the position patriotically. Mr Lloyd-George, in conclusion, protested against the talk about the altitude of the workers as if they were not an essential part of Hie nation, and were 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 any other class. They knew thai if the Kaiser triumphed, il would be the beginning of Mar, for humanity could not endure the yoke. The Bill was read a second lime by 328 votes to 30. AN ELOQUENT ORATION. CABINET PERFECTLY UNITED. LONDON, May 5. Mr Lloyd George had been so long silent that his speech was awaited with intense interest. He spoke for

three-quarters of an hour, his speech being full of passicmate energy and conviction. He did not say one word suggesting that he had gained a victory in the Cabinet. On the contrary, he referred to the Cabinet as being perfectly united. His peroration denouncing those who represented the working classes as neutrals was highly effective, and was greeted with long applause. Sir John Simon led the opposition to the Bill. He denied that it would increase the national strength. Mr A. Henderson wound up the debate. He said Lord Derby bad estimated that there were 650,000 single men of military age. It was now found that they numbered 750,000. Of this number, the military authorities expected to obtain 310,000, of whom 187,720 were already with the Colours. The "Daily News" points out that Mr Lloyd George dissociated himself from the Cabinet's limitation in the recruiting of unattested men to 200,0110, and declared for unlimited enlistment. FRENCH OPINION. THE BILL WELCOMED. PARIS, May 5. The newspapers welcome the new Military Service Bill. The "Journal" attributes the reform to Mr Lloyd-George's energy. It says' the strength of his personality is daily growing clearer. The "Journal" pays a tribute to Mr Asquith's cleverness in avoiding defeat. M. Clemenceau, writing in "L'llommc Enchaine," quoted Mr Asqui th's words as showing thai the effort the British Empire has made will increase France's assurance and confidence in final success. 'flic "Journal des Debats" has a frank leader, which concludes:— "The Allies have not a day to lose if they wish for decisive success in 1010. This is no longer the time for a 'wail and see' policy. Active operations arc essential, and we arc conlidenl they will be carried out." The "Intransigeanl," under the heading of "True Friends," asks Frenchmen who are sceplical as to the extent of Britain's effort to recall what Hie position would have been if Britain had maintained an attitude of correct neutrality.