Fergus County Democrat., 1916-01-06

pulsory military service when Premier
Asquith submitted to the house of
commons bill drafting eligible un.
married men to military duty and
/ Championed the measure in stirring
( speech on the necessity of this step to
meet the growing eXigencies OF the
war.
The scene within the house Of com.
mons was one Of the most notable in
/ he history of that body, with the
/ benches packed with members, all the
ministerial seats occupied and the gal
/ leries overflowing.
i With the prospect OF a keen duel
! between the prime minister and his
/ former colleague Sir John A. Simon,
! over the momentous issue which
caused the late home secretary's resig
nation, the biggest assemblage of com
| moners since the outbreak of the war
| faced Mr. Asquith when he introduced
\ his military service bill.
| Virtually the only absentees were
those debarred from attending by the
military necessities. These to a man
| favor compulsion.
There was feeling of intense in.
| terest and anxiety over the culmina-
tion Of the controversy, which has
shaken the country as no other event
since the war began.
Outside the parliament building
great crowds gathered, reflecting the
deep popular interest, and shouts of
drove up with his wife and daughters
] "a <r
among the members and in the gal
leries. giving distinct khaki color to
the gathering.
Just back of Mr.. Asquith sat Sir
John Simon the only member of the
cabinet whose resignation has been
precipitated by the compulsory bill,
while in the gallery Immediately facing
the premier, was the genial, earnest
face Of the Earl Of Derby, who has
been the central figure leading up to
todays climax.
Mr.. Asquith began Immediately the
house was convened and spoke con-
tinuously for an hour 1t was not a
speech marked for it's impassioned or
atory, but rather for its calmness and
the analysis whereby the premier as
sembled reasons showing the compel
ling necessity for resor. to this step.
! The applause was frequent while the
opposition at times expressed no dis
approval. Most of the speech was de-
voted to a clear exposition of the de-
tails Of the measure which the premier
declared was no abandonment Of the
principle of voluntary service, in which
he firmly believed, but merely tenn
porary measure, limited to the dura-
tion of the war, and confined to q
comparatively small class Of unmarried
men who had not responded voluntar-
fly to the country's needs.
81 would have been glad to do with
out this BILL" said the premier. my
confident expectation had been that no
such measure would be necessary, but
that hope has been disappointed and
l now consider this bill necessity"
The premier particularly emphasized
the pledge he had given Of resort to
conscription if the voluntary enlist
ments under the Derby plan did not
: give adequate results. AS matter OF
national interest as we'll as expediency,
he regarded the time as having ar
rived for keeping that pledge.
u mean 70 keep my PROMISE" he
concluded, and let it not be said that
we dallied or DELAYED in carrying out
an honorable obligation"
/ Sir John Simon was greeted heartily
as he rose to combat the premier 4
! contentious. He expressed regret at
i leaving the cabinet ana paid tribute
to Mr.. Asquith, TO whom he owed such
success as he had achieved, but, HI
: said, no personal consideration could
: deter him from opposing this measure
) which presented the supreme question
: of abandoning the principle of volun
tary service, one of the traditions o.
| Britain's freedom, and substituting thu
: Prussian system Of militarism.
r This bill should be resisted" he ex
: claimed, while wave of cheers greet
| ed his statement. He maintained tina
Premier Asquith had been chiefly
moved in his desire to keep a pledge
whereas this was proposition involv
f ing a reversal of the entire policy O
the government and those chiefly de
= sirous of having the pledge kept were
5 the men who had for years tauntet
, the premier with lack of good faith. ,
$ A chorus of hoots greeted the speak
: er's sarcastic reference to pressure
eyerted by the Harmsworth press.
He maintained that the results o
the bill. if enacted, would be neglig
ible addition to the fighting force. Th'
real danger of the measure, he assert
ed. was that it committed the prime
minister to the principle of compul
. sorry service and once this was con
t ceded, no one could tell where this new
!, policy would end.
Don't condemn your own younl
3 men," concluded the former home sec
!. retary. dramatically. Don't pay thi'
3 compliment to Prussian militarism
. Den't surrender one of the real herit
t ages of the English people for mes
of pottage."
y The first indication Of the attitude
of the labor party was given by Johl
Hodge. vice chairman of the party
:. who said that the trade council as
t sembling in London tomorrow woult
9 be the greatest conference labor hat
t every held, with thousand delegates
specially commissioned to pass upoi