Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-30
ROYAL INFLUENCE EXERTED
New Bill in Parliament Will Cal
Upon Unmarried Men between
~ and 40 to Attest within
Specified Time-Stiff Penalt,
for Noncompliance.

London, Dec. Sa--Gn order to aiv,
time for possible reconciliation of con.
i1'ting opinions ON tho recruiting u'l..
ton. cabinet council, which was callD,
FOR to-day. has been further postpone
until Friday, and there is very fret
nope that 1t will then he found that tie
cabinet is in practical agreement oi. tn.
acceptance of Premier Asquiths pro.
posas
II has become known that the 1.rn
minister found much greater slr,pu,,
than had been supposed, some Of Il
anti-conscriptionist ministers having rea
iaod that a peculiar situation calls fcr
exceptional treatment. Among thes, arc
\. j. Balfour. first lord Of the adniira
". whose influence is very great, anil
Arthur Henderson, who, however, vii.
be guided by the views of the labor
party.
Earl Kitchener. the war minister also
has at least defended his opinion tina.
the time is ripe for compulsion. N'u,
depends now on the attitude Of Res na11
Mckonna. chancellor Of tho exchcIurr.
and Walter Runciman. president o. Tho
board Of trade, both important mei1hef
of tho cabinet But there Is tor ~
hopeful feeling that they may yot b.
induced to support the premier IT. til
interests of ministerial unity.
Sir Edward Grey, the foreign secrc-
tary. looks with great apprehension uDol
any signs of disagreement as having
had effect upon the allies and Is work
ing hard on the path Of conciliatior an !
r. II turns QUO that the line the gofern-
ment has chosen IL not for compulsory
direct enlistment, hut for compulsorr
attestation along the lines Of the DEM
scheme. it is very probable that most
of the doubtful ministers may be FOUND
supporting the premier and that tn
designations will bc confined to two or
three ministers of lesser inlportaO'".
such as Lewis Harcourt. first cor mis-
sioner Of works. and Sir John m"n'
home secretary. whose departure would
not involve a serious crisis.
A strong point making for unfit t. on
the new government policy is that II haS
met with much less opposition from 4 ="
liberal press than might have beer eN-
pected. The royal influence is also h"jr :;
exerted. the King having publicly ln''-
mated his special desire that all the Ton
who attested under Earl Derby SHOULD
wear the symbolic armlet issued in con-
nection with the scheme
Much will depend upon the attituIc "t
the labor party, which. although stron--
lv opposed to compulsion. may pos a,h'v
be swayed by Mr.. Henderson's view th4t
the exceptional circumstances justify
| exceptional means.
According to the Daily Chronicle tha
new bin will be short measure ca, in p
upon unmarried men between the .sc'
Of 70 and 40 years to attest in their
| age groups within a specified period -
| time and under the same privileges a'
the Derby recruits. with serious pena, !, =
! for Noncompliance.
According to the Times Mr., NCEei &
| bases his opposition 20 the scheme PAL
on personal doubt regarding tho size -
Ithe military forces required ~ Great =
ain to win the war and partly on CIR
Britains financial commitments, both 1T
home and by way of loans TO her allie.
Mr.. Runcman, the newspaper adds =
concerned TO maintain tho volume "l
trade. which he regards as an indispei =
a bic factor in the British war equipmsut.
ment
The Times argues that had the Earl
Of Derhy's enlistment scheme been con
pletely successful its results would ha Z
been the same as will be obtained JOS
compulsion, and that the question ho n
the men are obtained cannot affect Il 9
economic problem