It is not a bad thing, however, that the representatives
of Labour should have spent their breath on following a false scent. If they had condemned compulsion after a really relevant debate, we should find more to regret in the proceed- ings of the Congress than we do find. The Times correspondent thinks that the debaters were fettered by the feeling that they did not know what the views of the Government may be. They were unwilling to condemn compulsion by an outright resolution—saying, for instance, that they would never submit to it—becausein their hearts they knew that if the Govern- ment sooner or later should declare compulsion to be necessary Labour would not take the responsibility of opposing the Government. Mr. Tillett argued that men were no longer needed to join the colours in large numbers ; by far the most important need was more munitions. Mr. Clyne posed the Parliamentary Committee with a very interesting question as to what they would do if the Government actually did produce a plan for compulsion. No official answer was returned. Mr. Smil]ie was the only speaker who declared that compulsion ought to be resisted by Labour even though the Government should announce their intention of introducing it.
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