When Captain Arthur Evans took advantage of an early adjournment
motion on Monday to call attention to the need for closer co-ordination between the various defence departments and the civil departments in their appeals for voluntary man-power, no one anticipated that the discussion would produce a first-class political sensation. Yet so it was. Mr. Chuter Ede, who is one of the most nimble- witted debaters on the Opposition side, had the good fortune to follow Sir Thomas Inskip, from whom he was able to draw an unequivocal admission that a Conscription Act was already in draft and could immediately be laid before Parliament in the event of war. It certainly appeared from the Minister's speech and from his reply to Mr. Ede that this measure would do much more than merely impose military conscription. This impression was dissipated by the Prime Minister's answer on Wednesday, but the two Oppositions are not disposed to let the matter rest there. They are likely to press for the preparation of a further Bill to provide for the conscription of property and wealth at the same time.
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