On the Conscription Trail: The Second Referendum Seen from beside W. M. Hughes

Abstract

W. M. Hughes arrived in London as Australian prime minister in March 1916, some weeks after Asquith had introduced conscription. By the time Hughes returned to Australia in July 1916 the Australian troops in France had already been involved in disastrous fighting, and it was clear that voluntary recruiting in Australia could not satisfy the demands being made for reinforcements by the British command and by General W. R. Birdwood, commander of I Australian Corps. The Labor move ment was hopelessly divided on the question of conscription. Hughes, as parliamentary leader of the Australian Labor Party, narrowly achieved agreement from his colleagues to hold a referendum on the question, but was expelled from the party in the course of the campaign. The referendum of 28 October 1916 resulted in a narrow majority against compulsory service, and shortly after Hughes left the A.L.P. and formed a new government. Hughes and his breakaway colleagues combined with the Liberals to form the Nationalist Party. This party was confirmed in office by the elections of May 1917.