Evening star., 1915-12-30
|ENGLAND HOPING
| TO AVOID CRISIS
Asquith Finds Greater Support
in Cabinet for Conscription
Than Expected.
THOUGHT SOME MEMBERS
WILL RETIRE, HOWEVER
Three Unionists Said to Believe Pro.
posed Plan Does Not Go
Far Enough.

LONDON, December s0.-In order to
give time for a possible reconciliation
OF conflicting opinions on the recruit
| ing question. cabinet council which
was called for today has been further
postponed until Friday and there is
very great hope that 1t will then be
found that the cabinet is in practical
agreement on the acceptance Of Pre-
mier Asquith's proposals.
1t has become known that the prime
minister found much greater support
than had been supposed, some of the
| realized that a peculiar situation calls
for exceptional treatment Among
these are A. J. Balfour, first lord Of the
admiralty, whose influence is very
great. and Arthur Henderson, who,
however. will be guided by the views
of the labor party
Earl Kitchener, the war minister.
also has at last defended his opinion
that the time is ripe for compulsion.
Much depends now on the attitude of
Reginald Mckenna, chancellor of the
exchequer, and Walter Runciman.
president of the board Of trade, both
important members of the cal binet But
there is a hopeful feeling that they
may yet be induced to support the pre-
mier in the interests Of ministerial
unity
Proposed Recruiting Method.
According to the Daily Sketch. the
government has a bill under considera-
ton embodying the following method
of securing recruits:
When it is decided to call to the col
ors any attested group under the Earl
of Derby's plan a day will be fixed for
the men in that particular group to
present themselves at military depot.
Until that day any unattested bachelor
of the age stipulated for that group
may volunteer for the army, and by so
volunteering will escape the stigma of
compulsion. but all failing to volun
teer on the stipulated day will be
fetched
Three Unionists May Quit.
The Daily Express today asserts that
there Is a group Of at least three
Cnionists in the cabinet. led by the
Earl of Selborne. president of the
board of agriculture. who are likely to
resign because Premier Asquiths plan
for a modified form of conscription
does not go far enough. These men
contend that it is wrong to force all
the single men to serve in the army
when there is a large proportion of
married men who could be spared more
easily, and that altogether the premier S
plan is a useless compromise. says the
paper
The Express. therefore. anticipates a
fair crop Of designations among the
supporters of voluntary enlistments
and the determined conscriptionists,
but says that the designations will not
be serious enough to imperil the exist
ence of the government. The paper
also expressed the opinion that the
Earl of Derby. director Of recruiting,
will find a place in the reconstructed
ministry.
Works for Cancellation.
Sir Edward Grey, the foreign secre-
tary, looks with great apprehension
upon any signs of disagreement as
having a bad effect upon the allies,
and is working hard on the part of
conciliation, and if it turns out that
the line the government has chosen is
not for compulsory direct enlistment
but for compulsory attestation along
the lines of the Derby scheme, 1t Is
very probable that most of the doubt
full ministers may be found supporting
the premier and that the designations
will be confined to two or three min
isters Of lesser Importance.
According to the Times Mr.. Mckenna
bases his opposition to the scheme part
ly on personal doubt regarding the
size of the military forces required of
Great Britain to win the war and part
ly on Great Britatn's financial COM
mitments, both at home and by way
the newspaper adds. is concerned to
maintain the volume of trade. which
he regards as an Indispensable factor
in the British war equipment.