Albuquerque morning journal., 1916-01-06

prove as satisfactory as | could have
Wished Owing to III cgroat rush of
recruits II was impossible IN many
cases TO have moro than the most per-
| functory medical examination and the
number of men who will be rejected
when the various groups are called M
and subjected TO proper examination
must be very large; the number OF
men actually uneNalnincd, both
starred and unstarred. being as5,355,
Mr., Asuuith said he was unable af-
/ ter the largest possible Hypothetical
deduction to consider the number Of
single men rs anything
but substantial and even consldcra-
Bile amount. lie said that Sir John
simon, whose resignation as home
secretary was announced Yesterday,
thought the figures might be reduced
TO an inestimahlc quantity.
If he had shared this view. MIR.
Asquith said, the present contingency
would not have arisen but he could
not think that The primary obliga-
tion was TO keep faith at all costs with
the married men.
Certain Exemptions.
The primo minister said cXemptiots
from service could be claimed under
the terms of the bill on the same
grounds as i'm the case of men attest
ed under tho Derby plan. The grounds
of exemption include conscientious OPP
position to perform military service.
other grounds for exemption. the
premier said. included IN health. ply
steal infirmities, the necessity TO sup
port dependent persons and the fact
Of being engaged ON work Of national
Importance.
The bin Mr.. Asquith continued,
was limited specifically to redemption
OF the promise he had made publicly
10 married men. This pledge had
been given at a time when over
whelming evidence had been submit
ted to him that married men who
were willing and anxious to serve
We're holdi * back in large numbers.
Single Men Must Fight.
They needed to be reassured that
having regard for thei circumstances
and the business they were carrying
on, they could count upon their term
of service being postponed until the
younger and single men had been
called up. II assurance had not been
given at that time there would have
been danger that tho whole recruiting
campaign would break down.
Where, then, should be We be
now?' he asked.
The premier added that il he were
to be confronted with the samc situa
tion az the present Time he would
take precisely the same conrsce.s lie
said he had received no protest
against his pledge.
1Itbnntrh hn l,aI f..nn "a utra1srv uttta.
porter of the system OF voluntary
service. Mr. Asquith declared he was
convinced Of the necessity of the com
pulson bill, which he believed would
meet with general approval when ist
provisions were understood.
What the Bill Provides.
The premier explained that the bill
provided that unmarried men or wild
overs without dependent children
who were between the ages of / s and
III and had no Rround for exemption,
in cnlstng under the bill, should be
deemed to have done their duty to tho
state just n sthough they had attest
ed under the Derby plan. They would
be deemed as having enlisted for the
period of tho war The act would
come. into force fourteen DAYS after
days after that time wonld be allowed
for the new cnlistments Tcrritolials
enlisted for home service come under
the bill.
Speaking of the exemption Of men
who have conscientious objections TO
military service. Mr. Asquith pointed
out that similar exemption had been
made by Pitt IN favor Of the Quakers
and said the circumstances under
which it might be claimed had been
shaped carefully
A special tribunals to hear applica-
tions for exemptions would be set up
in each local area, The premier said,
and an appeal tribunal also would be
established. Finally. to prevent the
possibility of any miscarriage. there
would be Il last appeal through the
body set up IN London under the Earl
Of Derhy's plan. The premier cX
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tCOntnued ON Pnge Six)