Evening star., 1916-01-06
Proposition That Congress
Should Support Measure Of
CompuIsion Defeated.
SPLIT IN ITS RANKS
BECOMES APPARENT
Arthur Henderson Refuses to For
sake Government-Newspapers
Denounce Pending Proposals.

LONDON, January Sine temper VI
the labor congress was tested TO-DAY oy
an amendment to the official resolution
to the effect that the congress should sup
port a measure of compulsion by forcipg
the single men to attest. The amenomeht
was defeated on card vote by the over
whelming majority of 2,121,000 against
$4,000.
Arthur Henderson, president Of the
board of education. and leader OF the
labor party in the house or commons
served notice on the labor congress To-
dav that if it decided that ne shouio
onnose the governments compulsion
bill he would refuse to accept such de-
cision; that he would Immediately re-
sign his seat in the house OF commons
and would ask his constituents whether
they indorsed his action or not
Bill Satisfies Nobody.
Judging by all the editorial opinions ex-
pressed this morning the conscription bill
viii satisfy nobody. The voluntary papers
denounced it almost as much as the con-
scriptionist press. The Daily'News goes
SO far as 20 predict a general election
in the next few weeks. This newspaper
labor conference today will decide
against conscription. the labor party
believing that compulsion in the army
will he followed by compulsion in the
workshop.
1t adds that the laborites have de-
cided at the last moment to throw the
conference open to the newspapers % so SO
public mind about the resolutions
adopted.
designations Expected.
Further. according to the Daily
News. if the conference decides against
the bill, Arthur Henderson. president
of the board of education; Reginald
McKenna, chancellor of the exchequer.
and Walter ,Runciman, president of the
board of. trade are likely to resign.
And" adds the Daily News. ''as it is
known tha. Mr. Lloyd George, Earl Cur
zon and other ministers have been for
some time in favor of general election
at this juncture in the war, 1t is not un-
likely that means will be adopted to cut
the Gordian knot Of the recruiting prob
lem
Cites Necessity of Action.
The British government definitely
embarked upon it's policy of compul-
sorry military service when Premier As
quith yesterday submitted to the house
of commons bill drafting eligible un-
married men to military duty and
championed the measure in a 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
the history OF that body. with the
benches packed with members. all the
ministerial seats occupied and the gall
leries OVERLOOKING.
There was a feeling of intense inter-
est and anxiety over the elimination of
the controversy which has shaken the
country as no other event since the
val began.
Crowds About Building.
Outside the parliament building great
crowds gathered. rejecting the deep
popular interest. and shouts of welcome
greeted the premier as he drove up
with his wife and daughters. Officers
in uniform occupied seats among the
members and in the galleries, giving a
distinct khaki color to the gathering.
Mr.. Asqrith began Immediately the
house was convened, and spoke con-
tinuously for an hour. 49,
Gives Details Of Measure.
Most of the speech was devoted to
clear exposition of the details OF
the measure. which the premier de-
ciared was no abandonment of the
principle Of voluntary service. in which
he firmly believed, but merely a tenn
porary measure limited to the dura-
ton of the war and confined IN . co,n-
paratively small class Of unm.r-;.,
men who had not responded yoluntariIs
TO the country's needs.
would have been glad TO do with.
OUT this Dill, said the premier. NV
confident expectation had bsen that ny