ABSTRACT
A break-up of the Coalition Government was avoided in October 1915, when war-news was very depressing and the most powerful forces in mass-journalism still intent on driving out the Asquithians, by the device of putting Lord Derby in charge of a great new recruiting drive. Of legislators, it may be said that, whereas almost the entire Conservative Party was assumed to be Conscriptionist, it was still believed that the Radicals, Liberals, Labour men, and Irish of the old governing majority of 1906–14 would show a heavy preponderance against Conscription. At this stage, the cause of “Voluntary Service” was obviously not yet regarded as a completely lost one even though there was loud enough lamentation on the fate that was overtaking Liberal principles and the Liberal Party. It was towards the end of August 1916 that the dearly-bought adhesion of Rumania to the Allied cause was obtained, and almost simultaneously Italy’s declaration of war upon Germany was announced.
