BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

COMPULSION BILL GENERALLY FAVORED, London, May 2. A neuter message states that Mr. Asquith told the House of Commons that a general immediate Compulsion Bill would be introduced to-morrow, also that the naval and military efforts of the Empire since the beginning of the war exceeded five million men. The public of Britain and France are eagerly awaiting the announcement, of the Government's policy to-day. The general opinion is summed up in the H'aria Temps, which says: "Ml - . Asquith's Government has overlittle confidence in the foresight and moral force of the British people. Britain to-day is in advance of its leaders."

Leading articles and correspondence in British newspapers generally insist on the significance of the Kut surrender, the Dublin revolt, and the Military Service Bill fiasco coming in a single week. They attribute the disasters to the unwieldy Cabinet, which should be reduced to a small body of strong men unhampered by executive offices. Some opine that non-politicians should be introduced, as the country is distrustful of government by a little knot of frontlioncli politicians who distribute offices among themselves.

A few extremists tentatively support a Lloyd George-Carson-Milner Cabinet as an alternative to Mr. Asquith's. Mr. Warwick Brooke, M.P., suggests that Mr. Hughes might be willing to join the Cabinet if a sufficiently honorable position was offered. It would be easy to find him a seat.

The Daily News expects the Government will waste no more time formulating further proposals, but will announce tbat a Compulsion Bill will be introduced this week without any suspensory clause, thus immediately bringing in all unattested married men. Messrs Henderson, Roberts, and Brace have assented to the policy, which many Laborites approve.

SPEECH BY MR. ASQUITH

the Necessity for compulsion. TO BE SETTLED ONCE AND FOR ALL N'EED FOR ukITY AND CONFIDENCE. Received May 3. 10.30 p.m. London, May 2. In the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith said that as the Government's proposals last week had not met with general consent, he proposed to deal with the whole recruiting problem in a single measure, which lie is introducing tomorrow. The Empire's total naval and military effort since the war bad exceeded five million men. The existing machinery would not provide quickly the two hundred thousand married men who are required to keep up the army's strength and provide for contingencies for the summer and autumn campaign. It was, he said, the country's plain duty to provide these men, and the new Bill would provide for general and immediate compulsion. There was no reason to believe that general and immediate compulsion would provide much large numbers, but it would have an immense advantage in abolishing piecemeal treatment. The speeches made last week, especially those of the Laborites, showed a desire to settle the whole controversy once and for all.

Mr. Asquith appealed for unity, in the interests of the country, the Allies, and the Dominions, His answer to criticisms of the Government's alleged indecision, delay, and half-heartedness ■was that even though there had been, perhaps, blunders in policy and strategy, the British contribution to the common cause was growing steadily and was better directed than ever before. The naval and military situation, as a whole, was never so good as it was to-day, Mr. Asquith said that the Government could treat those criticisms with indifference while they had the people's confidence. If the Government had not this, then let the House say so, and find more efficient men. They would not find any more zealous or more loyal, and they could not carry the heaviest burden that was ever laid 011 the shoulders of British statesmen unless they had the sympathy and trust of their fellowcountrymen. SIR E. CARSON'S OPINION, j Received May 3, 6.5 p.m.

London, May 2. In the House of Commons Sir E. Carson said that it was not doubted that the country was making gigantic efforts, but it had not done enough to win the war. Mr. Asquitll could have got these powers a year ago, and no juster scheme was possible.

Sir J. Simon said that the Bill was the outcome of political expediency, and not a necessity, but he agreed with the logical consequence of the January measure.

SIR. E. CAR SOX CREATES A SENSATION. AeceSved May 4, 1.25 a.m. London, May 3. : A phrase in Sir E. Carson's speech created a sensation. He said: "When I entered the Cabinet 1 decided, as I was inexperienced in military matters, to back the demands and policy of the Cabinet's military advisers. My misfortune was that I found very little to back.''

This oblique reference'to Lord Kitchener is the more pointed because Sir Edward Carson, in a letter, eulogised General Sir W. P. Robertson, and said that General Robertson had done more to reorganise the War Office since he had put his head into military affairs than others had done during tile whole preceding period of the war. Referring to the fall of ICut, Sir E. Carson paid tribute to the indefatigable pains that Mr. Chamberlain took to ascertain in every possible way" what were the possibilities of a successful atttack on Baghdad. He added: "I was- in the Cabinet at the time, and do not want to be a party in the attack upon Mr. Cham.beriain."