New Britain herald., 1915-12-30
BRITISH SOLVING
 RECRUITING ISSUE
Cabinet on Way to Agreement-
 ASqdth Finds Supporters

council, which was called for today,
 has been further postponed until
 Friday and there is very great hope
 that it will then be found that the
 cabinet is in practical agreement on
 the acceptance of Premier Aseuith's
 proposals.
 It has become known that the
 prime minister found much greater
 support than had been supposed,
 some of the anti-conscriptionist min-
 isters having realized that a peculier
 situation calls for exceptional treat
 ment Among these are A. J. Bal
 four. first lord of the admiralty, whose
 influence is very great. and Arthur
 Henderson, who. however will he
 guided by the views of the labor par
 ty.
 Time Ripe for Compulsion.
 Earl ,Kitchener, /, the war minis
 ter. alsaayslaaSsgssA, laHt defsndsas,. his opiniori time isf Tips fdre pulsion. Much depends now on the attitude of Reginald McKenna. char. cellor of the exchequer, and Walter Runciman. president of the board of trade, both important mbers Of the cabinet. But there is, tonight :, hopeful feeling that they may yet he induced to support the premier in the interests Of ministerial unity.
 Sir Edward Grey, the foreign soc l retary, looks with great apprehen- 1 sion upon any signs of disagreemen as having 8 bad effect upon the allies | and is working hard on the path cf | concilia ton. and if it turns out that l the line the government has chosen 1 is not for compulsory direct enlist 1 ment. brt for compulsory attesta- al '. NF o,f.r ] scheme, 1t is very probable that m ost 1 of the doubtful ministers may he | found supporting the premier and 1 that the resignations will be confined l to two or three ministers of lesser 1 importance. such as Lewis Harcou~t l first commissioner of works. and Si" 1 John Simon. homo secretary. whose ] departure would not involve a ser 1 ious crisis.
 Strong Point for Unity. A strong point making for unity on the new government policy is that , it has met with much less opposition from the liberal press than might have been expected. The royal in- fuence is also being exerted, the King having publicly intimated his special desire that all the men who attested under Earl Derby should wear the symbolic armlet issued in connection with the scheme.
 Much will depend on the attitude of the labor party. which, althoueh strongly opposed to compusion may possibly be sWayed b.. MT. Hender- sons view that the exceptional cir
 cumstances justify exceptional means. According to the Daily Chronicle" l the new bill will be short measure liy,er the ages Of 1a and 40 years to attest in their age groups within a specified period of time, and under the same
 privileges as the Drby recruits with | privileges as the Derby recruits with Situation Explained.
 The following explanation of the
 cabinet situation will appear in the newspapers of London this morning. furnished by the press association: :-- Tt has been generally expected that Premier Asquith's pledge to married l. men would be carried out in letter and spirit, but the view is held i,, some quarters that a further chance for single men to enroll would not bc inconsistent with the fulfillment of that pledge.
 ''The premier himself rejected this 1 interpretation of his words and in formed the cabinet that resort to compulsion was called for in his op- inion. not only to carry through an honorable obligation, but also it was needed in the present state of the war to provide a steady flow of rein 1 forcements for the various battle ] fronts.
 "On the question of compulsory ] service for single men, with relega- 1 tions to later groups of men engag- 1 cd in reserved occupations, there is l no difference in principle within the l cabinet. Until the details of the pro- 1 cedure are definitely settled, there is l no expectation of personal changes in the administration. It is recognized | however, that to pass at the present stage from the well-defined case Of single men and to set up general
 obligation to military service on tic. 1 part of the adult population would 1 introduce difficulties."
 May Not Apply to Ireland. l Tt is undoubted that the govern- ment will carry a majority of the l House of Commons with them for any l reasonable scheme, and anything like 1 organized obstruction is unthinkable. 1 For the smooth passage of the bill 1t | is possible the measure will not ap- 1 ply to Ireland. The case of Ireland is exceptional, since registration there l has only been carried out in a partial 1 manner and there has been no atten- l tation there under the Derby group l system. The cabinet will do it's u.- l most to meet all objections and secure Ia measure of general agreement | which the premier declares essential" 1