The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-20
ENGLAND
By Ed. 1. Keen, United Press staff
CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondent.
LONDON, Sept. 2o-GFeat Britain
will not force her sons Into the army
BY parliamentary enactment, except az
a last resort. But II eonscriptfon 10
found necessary, there Is little ilkeli-
hood that there will be any "civtl
war; or asoelai revolt" despite the
free use Of those terms by opponents
Of compulsory service In the last few
days.
This Is the Judgment Of neutral OBJ
servers who have had the opportunity
to study the British mind whom con-
fronted by similar problems. They re-
member the general Britiah proneness
to threaten rebellion when confronted
with the possibility Of the enactment
Of Objectionable measures. They re-
call that when Lloyd Georges nation
al Insurance scheme was proposed,
hundreds Of thousands swors In ad-
vance that they would never click
stamps for Lloyd George" but meekly
submitted. They are satisfied that
conscription would be accomplished IN
the Same way.
Tho letter from Minister Of MunI-
tlons Lloyd George, made public
through the press bureau today, has
bUd0G tIO TU00S 0AV0uOuS ttfIPtSOSsSSt
hero in London.
While generally regarded az quite
as much statement preparatory for
national service a. an appeal for ma
tionaI unity, It Is hoped 1t will result
in the seotehlns Of the Intrigue. " one
existed, for the overturnIng Of the pres
ent ministry. An aggressive minority 10
expected to continue agitation, but
tho general bciief was today that the
oonscription issue will be less promi-
nent.
The conscriptionists are greatly en-
couraged at this Indications Of Lloyd
Georges personal opinion that nation
al service 10 the only solution. They
also attach considerable significance
to q speech made yesterday at Dept
ford by J. n. Thomas, labor member
Of parliament and secretary Of the
railway employees union, whose bitter
attack on conscriptlonsein$t the house
Of commons was the rallyins point
for the anti-conscrlptlonlsts
Thomas addressed meeting Of rail-
way men at Dsptford, but his remarks
were intended for the nation. He
urged the country not to mIsunder.
stand the feeling Of the working
classes aaainst conscrlption, indieat-
ing that If It can be shown compul.
sorry service 10 tho only means Of sav-
ing tbs empire from an InsIorious
peace the workers will Withdraw their
opposition.
The attitude Of the anti-conscrIptlon
lists generally, 10 the "show me" posi-
tion rather than on. Of permanent hos
tIIity. In such an attitude there Is no
great danger. ONCE Il 10 certain that
the government, " Il finds conscrip-
tion necessary will take the public
fully into lts confidence, revealing In
detail the necessity for tho step.
Lloyd Georges letter, which was adj
dressed to one Of his constituents who
complained that the ministry was
leaving the nation In the dark, replied
that the government was thoroughly
examining the conscrIptlon qustlons,
but believed undue haste In deciding
would be disastrous.
Lloyd George sounded warning that
England Is facing grave crisis that
may demand enactment Of compulsory
service legislation. II would be folly,
he said, to substitute conscription for
voluntary service II II were not n.ed-
cd. But he felt certain, hs. said, that
If the government stated scIear case
for conscrlption, not man would re.
sist,