Mr Winston Churchill: ...including the cases of all who joined before the 1st January, 1916,that they will come home for good and be demobilised to civil life. Such is the scheme which we have had to launch so hastily into operation, and I trust that on the whole, taking the rough with the smooth, it will commend itself to the House. The bond of discipline is subtle and sensitive. It may be as tense as steel or as...
...I may add that if the voluntary recruitment proceeds at the present rate it is quite likely that by the date of ratification not even all those fourth men will be required. Clause 2 prolongs the operation of the Transfer Act of 1915. It will be remembered that early in the War, owing to the shortage of men it was found necessary to transfer men who were fit in order to fill up the depleted...
Sir Percy Hurd: 18. asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement as to the unintended differentiation against overseas, and especially Canadian, trade under the operation of import licences, by which these Dominions are penalised because of their partnership with us in the War?
Mr James Kiley: ..., calls for higher wages, and, as a result of the higher wages in the trade in which he is employed, there is an increased cost of production in that trade, which affects very considerably our overseas trade. The dearer and the more expensive you make your commodities, the more serious is the effect upon the overseas trade. It would also be interesting to know why this particular article...
Major-General Hon. Sir Newton Moore: ...hope that the success which attended his régime as Secretary for the Colonies will follow him in his new sphere of administrative activity. I feel I am voicing the opinions of the people of the Overseas Dominions, both officially and private, when I say that the success which attended the right hon. Gentleman in his capacity as Secretary for the Colonies was largely due to the fact that...
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland: ...restrictive of trade, is to assist the export trade of the United Kingdom; it is obvious, therefore, that as the measures of control exercised for war purposes by other Departments diminish, the operations of the Department of Overseas Trade must develop. The work during the first two months of the present year shows an increase of approximately 100 per cent. as compared with the...
Major-General Hon. Sir Newton Moore: ...that anyone will deny the necessity for creating the Ministry under this Bill. The portfolio of railways is recognised as a very responsible one, both in European, countries and in the various Overseas Dominions and States. But the responsibility of those Ministers is absolutely insignificant compared with the responsibility which it is proposed to entrust to the right hon. Gentleman under...
Colonel Josiah Wedgwood: ...their feelings or to give them any ground for agitating against the perfect fairness and justice of British rule. We have at the present time 66,000,000 of Mahomedans in India who have loyally co-operated with us in this War, perhaps more loyally than any other part of the British Empire, under great trial very often, because in many cases they were fighting against their co-religionists....
Mr. T. THOMSON: I wish very briefly to support the Amendment, especially in regard to its economic application. We have been told that active operations are in progress, and that it is absolutely necessary to have transportation, and to have these labour units and others organised. I know from my own experience of the work done abroad that it was done most excellently in that respect, but it...
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland: ...British trade with that country. A special mission is also at present in France dealing with questions relating to sugar-making machinery. Four investigators have been sent out by the Department of Overseas Trade in co-operation with trade associations in this country to inquire into the prospects and conditions of (1) The market for jewellery and electro-plate in South America.(2) The...
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland: (Department of Overseas Trade): I am fully aware of the importance and urgency of the matter to which the hon. Member refers. It has been engaging my attention, and every effort is being made, with the co-operation of the Ministry of Shipping and the War Office, to secure passages for these men us speedily as possible.
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland: ...chemical manufacturers should also be sent, with the object of studying German chemical manufactures from a commercial point of view, and arrangements for this were undertaken by the Department of Overseas Trade. Some delay has arisen from the fact that the military authorities stated that it was difficult to make arrangements for parties of more than six or eight at a time, while the...
Sir Auckland Geddes: I know the numbers of men that are coming back, and I know the responsibilities which attach to the Railway Operating Division in France, and I think, broadly speaking—and, after all, in all these things one only can speak broadly—the War Office have done all they could to meet the difficulties of the situation. They certainly, in my opinion, played the game thoroughly. They have got...
Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy: ...and wrongs of our policy at the present time, but if this House is not consulted, or the people of the country are not consulted, before we send British troops to take part in extensive military operations in Russia, I think the results may be most grave. The people of this country can stand being told unpleasant things. Let them be told; let them be consulted and have some say in the way...
Mr Archibald Williamson: ...by a private individual. In the one case the credit of the company would be unimpaired with the local banks, but the credit of the other concern owned by the individual would be ruined owing to the operations of such a levy, and he would be unable to continue operations. I only give these instances to show that it is not a practical proposal, but would cause great dislocation of values and...
Mr William Adamson: In many cases these men have already been on active service overseas, and in certain cases have even been prisoners of war, and I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that they were informed they were to be sent to Russia. I am, however, pleased to have his assurance that such is not to be the case, and I will convey that information at the earliest possible moment to the men affected. In...
Mr Ronald McNeill: ...hope that we have often, heard before, and that many of us share, that some day or other there may be a great super-Parliament, in which there may be representatives of the Dominions of the Crown overseas. I share that hope, though it is still rather a dream. But, if that is to be done, it will not and cannot, in my opinion, be done by relieving this House of some of its more local...
Mr Donald Maclean: ...might be made about commanding officers, so far as I can see, they acted most fairly in the summaries of the replies which they gave. One of the questions was: Will they parade for draft to overseas, especially to Russia? I will take the second, third, and fourth of the replies. The others are not particularly important. The reply was: Troops will parade for drafts overseas with the...
Mr George Roberts: ...prices and to keep them up. These are facts it is necessary we should ask hon. Members when criticising us to bear in mind. I appreciate what the hon. Member for Silvertown said with respect to the operation of great trusts. Those, of course, are one of the great trials of any Food Controller, but here again, so long as we are compelled to go into a single market, we are certainly at the...
Sir Eric Geddes: ...owned wagons—the. House will remember that there are 700,000 of them—are 75,000 short of what they should be on the normal progressive development of wagons. That is due to the War. Wagons went overseas, and there are great arrears in maintenance, far more wagons than usual awaiting repairs, and there are arrears of replacements and arrears of new construction. As nearly as I can...