Evening star., 1939-04-27

sion bloc among Central Euro
pean states uho are in path OF
German expansion, has been un-
der constant pressure to adopt
conscription as evidence that she
1DiA be able to assist Poland Ru-
mania and Greece against at
tack. French pleas haze been
particularly strong.
BY the Associated Press
LONDON, April 27.-Prime Min
lister Chamberlain warned the labor
opposition in the House of Commons
today against forcing a general elec-
ton on conscription as he opened
the debate on the emergency con-
scription bill he announced yester-
day.
II foresee that matters might be
pushed to such an extremity that
this government would not have
any other choice" than to order an
election he said, amid Laborite
cheers and counter cheers from the
government benches.
But surely" he added, "a very
heavy responsibility would rest upon
those who force such a conclusion
at this time
Sees Confusion Result.
"An election would leave the coun-
try in a state of confusion and un-
certainty. postpone, for what might
be vital weeks, measures which the
government thought necessary,
check the output of munitions vital
to us at this time and distract the
attention of those who are respon-
sible for government departments.
Mr.. Chamberlain spoke in a de.
bate on a government motion in
favor of conscription which is to be
voted upon by II pm. IS pm. E. S.
t. tonight.
H said that if his conscription
statement had been delayed until
next week any decision taken would
have been related to Chancellor
Adolf Hitler's speech tomorrow be-
fore the Reichstag
I'VE have no information as to
what the contents of that speech
may be-" the Prime Minister said.
Our proposals are quite independ-
ent of it and that should be made
perfectly clear to all the world"
Holds ConscriptiOn Divisive Force.
Clement R. Attlee, leader of the
labor opposition. charged that the
governments conscription measure
was a gesture throwing a monkey
wrench into the machine"
Mr.. Attlee said the Labor party
opposed CONSUMPTION because it be.
lieved it would weaken and divide
the country. instead of uniting it.
Earl Stanhope, first lord of the
admiralty, introduced in the House Of
Lords government motion similar
to the one before the House Of
Commons.
so far from being accused of a
breach of faith" Lord Stanhope said
in opening the lords debate, we
should have been accused of a breach
Of duty had we flinched from the
steps we propose"
Denies Pledge Broken.
DC1OlAOl1lS dsdlllSU LdUU
ite charges that the government had
broken pledge conscription would
not be introduced in peace time, Mr..
Chamberlain said:
"On those two occasions when he
opposed conscription). conditions
were very different from what they
are today. On neither was war i'm
minent and there was no question
present to the minds of anybody at
that time which appeared then
likely to lead to war
Mr.. Chamberlain explained tha.
the government had agreed to con-
scription because of independence
pledges given recently to Poland,
Greece and Rumania.
Cites Doubts of Intentions.
He said doubts had been ex-
pressed that the British government
meant business" and evidence has
been accommodating rapidly during
the past week that these doubts
were increasing as we were increas-
ing our engagements and the gibe
that Britain was ready to fight to
the last French soldier was one
which was being banded about from
capital to capital"
The Prime Minister concluded
with this pledge to the opposition:
In the view of the government, if
war ever did come again, we feel
(See LONDON pa0e A-A1