FURTHER PRESS COMMENT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13873, 15 September 1915, Page 5

FURTHER PRESS COMMENT.

COMPULSION REQUIRED FOR

INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES

TRADE UNION RESTRICTIONS

OPPOSITION TO REMOVAL

(Received Sept. 14, 10.30 p.m.)

London, Sept. 14

The "Daily Chronicle" says Mr Lloyd George is a distinguished convert to' compulsory national^ service, not alone, and perhaps not even chiefly, for, ! military reaisons. He believes compul- ! sion to be necessary for industrial reafsons. There has been a gratifying increase in the output of munitions, but it is still below the Ministry's demands and acceleration is impossible without the relaxation of all restrictive labour regulations and without the utilisation to a far greater extent of unskilled, labour. Recruits are still coming in faster than they can be equipped. Lord Kitchener has just submitted to the Cabinet an estimate of. the number required for the Continent in -1916. This is a much larger force than is now in existence. There is no reason to doubt that the voluntary sjistem will yield all that is needed, but the advocates of compulsion are taking advantage of the present decline in recruiting and the need of. acceleration of the output of munitions to push their panacea. Mr; Lloyd George has profound faith in the workers' sturdy patriotism, but he does not think that they and other sections realise tlie gravity of the situation. He desire® to see the whole nation under orders. Paradoxical as it may seem, Mr. Lloyd George wants comp.ulsory military service for industrial purposes, with a view of moving workmen under discipline wherever they are required. It is ominous that the suggestion was received with marked disfavour at Monday's conference at the Department of Munitions, including employers, trade unionists, and. representatives of the War Office and the Admiralty. The exhaustive discussion showed that owing to the unyielding attitude of some of the trade unionists regarding the suspension of the rafstrictionsj Mr. Lloyd George finds it almost impossible to reorganise the; engineering industry. Several at the conference concurred in the view that national service in the workshops is now necessary. The trade union delegates/ while desiring to ertsure a larger output, have an uneen'cealed aversion to what they consider forced labour. The conference will meet again.

The "Daily Telegraph" says the announcement has profoundly affected the public mind. The publication of the preface in advance of the volume for which it was written is unusual. It is plainly a case of urgency, and it is desired to put this view of the situation before the country prior to the reassembly of Parliament. Coming from the responsible head of the Munitions Department and one of the dominant personalities of tho Cabinet, it is a grave utterance, and may prove one of those creating new situations. The nation has been allowed to fortify itself in a mood of relief and confidence regarding munitions, due to Mr. Lloyd George's earlier a.nd more hopeful announcement. Now Mr. Lloyd George nas twice within a week stated that all is not well with the working of the Munitions Act and the progress of the task the Act was intended to facilitate. That is grave hearing.