TASK 2: Comprehension

Read through the following information and then answer the questions

The war still showed no signs of ending in late 1916. By this time, the AIF was the only force made up entirely of volunteers. Australians' enthusiastic responses to recruitment decreased as they learned more about battle front conditions and the high rates of Australian casualties in France. By June 1916, voluntary enlistment in the AIF was less than half of the 16 500 men per month who were needed to maintain Australia's fighting capacity. Following a visit to Britain and France, the Australian Prime Minister, William (`Billy') Hughes, proposed a solution — conscription.

In 1916 and 1917, Billy Hughes fought hard to convince Australians to vote 'yes' in the conscription referenda he introduced. He announced the first referendum with the words, 'I am going to work for this referendum and its success as if it were the only thing for which I live'. His determination provoked a debate that bitterly divided the nation and forced Australians to consider where their primary loyalty lay. It also created a confrontation between Hughes and his own party, as opposition to conscription was part of the Labour Party platform.

Questions

1. Why was the enthusiasm of Australians decreasing?

2. Who was the Prime Minister in Australia at this time and what did he propose to help France and Britain?

3. What did the Prime Minister implement that caused a debate? (Hint: look at the line in speech bubbles)

The Referendums in Australia

TASK 4: Comprehension 2

Read through the information below and complete the questions

The Defence Act 1903 (Cwlth), gave the Australian government the power to conscript men for military service inside Australia but not for service overseas. Hughes sought the power to conscript men for military service outside Australia. When he could not get majority support for this in the Commonwealth Parliament, he decided to try to gain the support of the people by means of a referendum. A referendum is a vote in which people are asked to indicate their support for or opposition to a proposed change to a law or to the Constitution. Hughes hoped to gain sufficient 'yes' votes to pressure the Labor-dominated Parliament to change its mind.

On 28 October 1916, Australian voters were asked:

'Are you in favour of the government having in this grave emergency the same compulsory powers over citizens in regard to requiring their military service, for the term of this war, outside the Commonwealth, as it now has in regard to military service within the Commonwealth?'

The result was very close, with 1 087 557 'yes' votes and 1 160 033 'no' votes. Three states voted 'yes' and three 'no'. Following the failure of his campaign, the Labor Party passed a vote of no confidence in Hughes as its leader. Hughes and 24 of his supporters left the Labor Party and joined with the opposition Liberal Party to form the Nationalist Party.

Hughes and the Nationalists had a resounding victory at the May 1917 federal election and Hughes decided to try a second referendum on conscription. Australians voted on a second conscription referendum on Thursday, 20 December 1917. The question this time was:

'Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth Government for reinforcing the Australian Imperial Force overseas?’

Once again the vote was close with the 'no' vote of 1 181 747 winning by a slim majority over the 'yes' vote of 1 015 159. This time, four of the six states voted 'no'. The AIF continued its participation as an entirely voluntary force for the remaining 11 months of war.

■Referendum Question 1

'Are you in favour of the government having in this grave emergency the same compulsory powers over citizens in regard to requiring their military service, for the term of this war, outside the Commonwealth, as it now has in regard to military service within the Commonwealth?'

■Referendum Question 2

'Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth Government for reinforcing the Australian Imperial Force overseas?’

Questions

1. Explain how the referendum question changed between each referendum.

2. Explain why the question was changed.

3. Do you think the changing of the question was effective for achieving its purpose? How effective?

Conscription: The Reasons FOR and AGAINST

Look at the following points below as reasons for and against conscription.

Reasons FOR Conscription

• Australia needs more soldiers

• Everyone needs to do their fair share (of fighting)

• Britain needs more Australian troops – Australia needs to show loyalty to Britain

• Britain, the mother country, introduced conscription. Australia should follow their example

• If you vote against conscription, you are helping the Germans to win the war, as we will have less soldiers to fight them with

• If Germany wins the war they will take over Australia

• If the army is not strong then more soldiers will be killed

Reasons AGAINST Conscription

• No one should be forced to see the horrors of war (death)

• You cannot force people to fight if they don’t want to

• Voting yes means sending someone to war and probably to their death

• Forcing people to fight when they don’t want to be there will weaken the army

• Too many Australian men have already ben killed in World War 1

• The war does not directly involve Australia so we cannot force people to give their lives to fight

TASK 5: Debate + Paragraph

Using the points above, choose whether you are for OR against conscription. You will be divided into two sides of the room so be prepared to debate your case. Once you're finished, write a PEEL Paragraph on why conscription should've/shouldn't have been allowed.

EXTENSION TASK

Design a pro-conscription, anti-conscription poster or recruitment poster.

The most creative posters will receive a merit. You may design this on publishing software such as Canvaa or you can draw it yourself.