There is no doubt that "Conscription after the war" is
being kuned by the Labour Party and by a good many Liberals into a Brst-class political Issue. Apart from Mr. Lloyd George's speech, the most remarkable statement on the subject was made by Mr. J. H. Thomas on Tuesday. Mr. Thomas made some definite asser- tions, and invited Mr. Lloyd George to answer them. In effect, Mr. Thomas argued that unless Conscription was done away with we should have fought the war in vain. He identified Conscription with militarism. He told his audience that he held in his hand a letter written by a General in the War Office to a General in France. The letter said ;—
" We are also pissed for a National Army of 20 Divisions on the following terms :—(a) 4 years' school training ; (6) 1 year's service from the first Oct. on which the man is 19; (c) 15 days' training for three years to 30; (d) 7 days' training for three years up to 40."
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