New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-11
Consumption for
Ireland Favored
BY Commons
Continued from page 1

the question whether compulsory SER
wee when 1t was proposed for Great
britain, should be extended to Ireland
mad already been twice considered bv
'he late government and on both occa-
SONS had been deliberately rejected.
ne test to be applied was ALWAYS
"netner the advantages would be
greater than the disadvantages. II
was purely a practical question. He
thought that the argument against
compulSion IN Ireland had been
strengthened rather than weakened by
the time that had ELAPSED since i was
last considered
lhere was both constitutional and
revolutionary movements in Ireland,
Mr.. Asquith went on. The evidence
showed that the latter was waning, but
1t was not stamped out. It still ex-
isted and had to be reckoned with
ne suggested that the government
would be guilty of terrible short-sight-
edness, at time when the Irish con-
ventlon had completed its labor and
"nen 1t was asking the House to ac-
cept a reaching measure of self
government, imposing on Ireland com
pulslon which was obnoxious to very
large mum Der of the Irish people. 1t was
al-importa1t that unnecessary domes-
TIC controversy should be avoided and
that united and unbroken front
should be presented to the people, the
Allies and the world
Andrew Bonar Law, spokesman for
the government. said that what had
happened in France was unexpected.
mat was Why this bill was presented.
1T is useless to conceal from our
Until the battle began the balance Of
forces was not against the Allies on
the Western front. Not only the GOV
eminent, but the British anr French,
military advisers, believed that there
was no danger of anything fatal hap
penlng. Wherever the fault lies. Il
goes not relieve the necessity Of FILL
ing the ranks in the army, unless we
are prepared to accept the position
mat we cannot win.
I'VE have been able to fill the vast
age IN the battle thus far, but accord
ing to the figures of the casualties
avaliable the most critical time is
likely to arise at the end of Nav and
June. We have succeeded to some OK.
tent IN meeting the difficulty bv what
the Americans have done We cannot
put too high our admiration Of Presi
gent WILSON'S action in this matter in
orlgadlng the American troops. Moth
ing Dut absolute necessity could have
Ies.'neo our ar, making such demand or
i 81 "lIson's accedlng to it,"
mere were still eight months at
ieast OF this campaign left. Mr.. Roman
Law continued. and if the strucgIe
went on, as the government believed
1t would, the men conscrpted now
would become available Just at the
time they We're needed. The govern
ment mad already put in men of four
months, or less training, and must face
the economic risk, confronted as Il
was by greater risk
May Decide Result
"What we are doing now" he said.
might mean the difference between
victory and defeat"
with regard to Ireland, the govern
ment did not contemplate without re-
iuctance or hesitation doing anything
winch threatened to make Ireland Eng.
lands enemy. 1t ought not to be SO.
ne government was asking Ireland to
40 nothing which was not asked from
the citizens of every belligerent conn
try, and the fact that It was DELAYED
proved that the government had bcen
anxious to deal honorably and fairly bv
Ireland. ~
We acted only after mature consid-
cration,' said Mr.. Bonar Law. "and we
are not going to alter our decision. If
this clause is rejected it will be wiser
to reject the whole bill. If the coun-
try thinks we are making mistake. we
VIII 90 our utmost Loyalty to support
any other government which carries on
the war" va
Colonel Martin Archer-Shee wanted
10 know IT 1T was a fact that six weeks
ago the American government offered
to recruit in the United States for the
britlsh army and if that offer was re-
FUSED: II so. would the government re-
consider the decision and ask the Amer.
leans to take the step now.
Closure was applied and carried bv
vote of 319 to 105, and Sir Charles
Hobhouse's amendment, declaring thar
while recognizing the gravity of the
military situation, the House is Of
OPINION that the measure diminishes
the naval and economic power of the
nation without adding commensurate
military strength" was defeated bv
vote of 321 to 1O6.