Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-05
Married Men and Widow
erS with Children Not
Included.
IRELAND EXCLUDED FROM
TERMS OF THE MEASURE
Asquith, Introducing Bill in
Commons, Declares Anti-Con-
scriptiOnists Can Support II.
GENERAL COMPULSlON NOT
NEEDED, SAYS PREMIER
Provisions Framed to Keep
Pledge to Married Men,
He Says.
by the Associated Press.

bs the Associated Press.
| LONDON, Jan. ). 3:46 p. m.-By the
terms of the compulsory military
service bill introduced in the House
Of Commons by Premier Asquith to-
| day. all males between the ages of
is and Al who are bachelors or wild
overs without children dependent on
them are liable foi. military service.
| ireland Is excluded from the terms OF
the measure.
| Mr. Asquith said no case had been
made out for general compulsion. and
that the bill he has introduced could
be supported by those opposed to con-
scription.
The largest assembage of members
| since the war began faced the pre-
mier. Many members had obtained
| leave to return from the front so
| that they might be able to vote on
, the compulsion bill. The Earl of
Derby, who conducted the reeruiting
campaign. was in the peers gallery.
Praises Derby Campaign.
Mr.. Asquith opened his address with
an analysis of the figures in the Derby
report. He emphasized the fact that
during the Derby campaign nearly
i 100000 men had offered their SER
| vices. Even deducting those rejected
on the ground of physical disability
the total was still in excess of 1900, 600
| These are wonderful. encouraging
figures" the premier continued
They ought to convince both our
allies and our enemies that the people
j q. Ibis country have their hearts II
= " war"
Mr.. Asquith said he was uirable
after making the largest possible
Hypothetical deduction to consider
the number of unrecruited single men
as anything but a substantial, and
even considerable amount. He added
that Sir John Simon, whose resigna-
tion as home secretary was announced
yesterday. thought the figures might
be reduced to an inestimable quantitx
If he had shared this view, Mr
Asquith said, the present contingency
would not have arisen but he could
not think that. The primary obliga-
ton was to keep faith at all costs
I with the married men.
Exemptions Can BE Claimed.
Mr.. Asquith said exemptions from
| service could be claimed under the
terms of the bill on the same grounds
as in the case of men attested under
the Derby plan. The grounds of ex-
| emption include conscientious objec-
tion to performing military service.
Other grounds for exemption from
service, the premier said, included Ill
health, physical infirmity, the neces-
sity to support dependent persons and
the fact of being engaged on work of
national Importance.
The bill, Mr.. Asquith continued,
was limited specifically to redeem
the promise he had made publicly to
married men. This pledge had been
Irr,xr vf.aI,.,
evidence had been submitted to him
that married men who were willing
| and anxious to serve were holding
back in large numbers. They needed
to be reassured that, having regard
for their circumstances and the busi-
ness they were carrying on, they
could count upon their term of service
| being postponed until the younger
and single men had been called UP.
| If assurance had not been given at
| that time there would have been
! danger that the whole recruiting cam
| paign would break down.
where, then, should we be noWF
| he asked.
The premier added that if he were
| to be confronted with the same situa-
tion at the present time he would
| take precisely the same course. lie
| said he had received no protest
against his pledge.
| Convinced of Bills Necessity.
| Although he had been a strong sup
| porter of the system of voluntary
service, Mr.. Asquith declared he was
convinced of the necessity of the COM
pulsion bill, which he believed would
meet with general approval when its
provisions were understood.
| The Earl of Derby's report on his
recruiting campaign, which began
October 20 and ended December II
explains why the cabinet found 1t
necessary to bring forward meas
ure for compulsory enlistment of un-
married men. More than 2,50O,O00 men
In England, Scotland and Wales en-
rolled themselves, but after those en-
gagged IN indispensable industries and
CONTINUED on Page 6. Column 81
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