§ Sir LEO CHIOZZA MONEYasked the Under-Secretary for War if his attention has been directed to the fact that, as a result of the secret labour conference held 1488W on 28th September, which was addressed by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for War, many of the persons who attended the conference are addressing recruiting meetings and using as their chief argument the statement that if men do not volunteer compulsion will be used to recruit them; and whether these threats of compulsion are officially authorised?
§ Mr. TENNANTNo threats of compulsion, to adopt my hon. Friend's expression, have been officially authorised.
§ Sir CHIOZZA MONEYalso asked if it was with the knowledge and consent of the Secretary of State for War that Mr. Councillor Tom Fox repeated to a Manchester audience some of the observations addressed by Lord Kitchener to the secret labour conference held in London on Tuesday, 28th September; and if Lord Kitchener stated that he knew how many men he wanted and how many were wanted for munitions, that he had their names and the numbers on their doors, and that if they did not come he would fetch them?
§ Mr. TENNANTI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to question No. 55 to-day.
§ Sir CHIOZZA MONEYasked the Under-Secretary for War whether he will give to the House the weekly numbers obtained by voluntary enlistment during the last three months?
§ Mr. AMERYasked whether the figure of seventy divisions, involving 1,500,000 men, quoted by the hon. Member for Dept-ford as having been supplied to him by Lord Kitchener, may be taken as the standard accepted by the Government? The hon. Member further asked whether the figure of 30,000 recruits a week mentioned in the labour appeal as necessary to maintain the standard military strength decided upon was officially supplied by the Government?
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot anticipate the statement my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will make on these matters.