The Washington times., 1916-10-28
Not q New Principle.

Compulsory military service Is not a
new principle In Australia. 1t has been
the law ever since the commonwealth
was established. Under the existing
Australian defense act the government
has the power to call out all adult
males of military fitness between the
ages OF eighteen and sixty and compel
them to fight anywhere within Aus
tralia for the defense OF Australia. For
service outside OF Australia the gov
ernment has to rely upon the voluntary
system of obtaining recruits.
Up to September | the Australian gov
eminent had sent 220, 900 volunteers to
the assistance of the allies in the va
rlous war areas. and had 1900 men in
reserve In the training camps.
when Prime Minister Hughes went to
England last summemr to confer with
the British government relative to the
war problem. Lloyd-George impressed
the prime minister with the necessity of
Australia's keeping her five divisions
OF troops up to their full strength.
For this purpose Australia was ex-
pected to send $500 men to the front
FOR September. and at least 1890 for
each subsequent month until peace is
declared.
Put II Up to Parliament.
Prime Minister Hughes. Immediately
upon his return to Australia. laid the
matter before the Australian Parlia-
ment on August 30. recommending a
referendum vote on the CONSUMPTION
question. Parliament passed the refer.
endum bill September %. The campaign
for and against conscription began al
| once and has been conducted with vigol
and bitterness on both sides.
The Government of Australia is con-
trolled by the Labor party. Mr.. Hughes
| himself being the Labor Prime Minister
The House of Representatives. the
Senate, and the Cabinet are composed
exclusively Of representatives of the
Labor party. The Labor party has al.
ways opposed conscrlption for oversee,
service. and the constriptionist policy OF
Prime Minister Hughes split the labor
| forces at once.
The executive committee OF the New
South Wales Political Labor League. Of
which Prime Minister Hughes Is a mem
Der, expelled him from the labor move
ment of New South Wales.
Tho Australian Workers Union
| which in Australia corresponds to tn,
American Federation OF Labor in tn,
United States. organized its forces L
defeat the CONSUMPTION referendum anC
opened its campaign by Buspending from
office President Spence. who had beef
the leading man In the Australian
Workers Onion for thirty years. To-
favoring consumption.
l
In his conscription manifesto. issue,
to the voters OF Australia, Prime Minis
ter Hughes made this statement reia
tive to the deficiency in recruits unde
voluntsrism and the necessity Of con
scription:
We must supply the men asked
for 1t Is the price we are asked
to pay for our national existence and
our liberties. We must get the men.
So much Is certain.
The question, is. then, how shall
We get them? 1t Ia unfortunately
only too apparent that the volun-
tary system of recruiting our armies
does not ensure them for many
months.
Indeed. tho numbers OF volunteers
have been steadily diminishing. In
June. July, and August. less than
oRe-third of tho number required
have enrolled.
II yoluntarisn fails, Is the nation
No patriot ' can deny the necessity S
of re-enforcements. No democrat
can impugn the right OF the nation
to demand this duty from it's citi-
eng. Democracy and nationalism
are one. The supreme duty which n
democrat owes to his country Ia to
| fight for 1t.
Others may fight for dynasties and
despots. but Australians tight for
| Australia, for democracy against
tyranny. and for liberty against
oppression. Unless a nation fights
for its liberties. 1t can neither earn
nor deserve them.
Extent of Failure.
The extent to which the voluntar
, system failed in Australia Is indicate
by statement issued on September
: by the Australian minister for defense
| yixEtK let . hA ttN 20. Ers
twenty days in September.
Tho quota required for the month wa
32,500. To make up this quota 81, $50 me
should have enlisted during the twent
| days, while those who actually did or
list amounted to but $685.. The list sub
mitted by Minister FOR Defense Pearc
gave the quota required from each stat
= for the month. the enlistments for IN
: twenty days, and the deficiency to h
made up during the remaining ten days
= The figures were as follows: