Questions of women, married men and single men considered deliberate slackers were dealt with by local MP Mr Cecil Harmsworth (pictured) at the annual meeting of the South Beds Liberal Association on Wednesday, March 22nd, 1916.
He paid a tribute to the women of the land who had altered the whole attitude of men to their position in the State. There had been some talk about the conscription of women for war service, but he did not think that would be in the least necessary.
He believed that if the country asked for the women to assist in national work they would be found willing to come forward.
Mr Harmsworth next said that a great deal had been heard about "single slackers". He said: "I resent bitterly that imputation on the young men of this country. I believe, and I have reason for believing, that the number of deliberate slackers among unmarried men in wholly negligible.
"I resent the imputation that there is a large class of young men in the country who, for one reason or another, from selfishness, from lack of public spirit or, as it is sometimes even suggested, from lack of ordinary physical courage, are unwilling to fight for their country."
It had been said too often that there is a large number of single slackers in the munition works, said Mr Harmsworth. The imputation in that case was very unfair. During the early stages of recruiting, young men in these trades were not allowed to enlist and the authorities had the greatest trouble in stopping the coal miners from enlisting.
It would be unfortunate for the impression to get about that these young men, many of whom were devoting their their skill and trained intelligence to the manufacture of munitions were taking refuge in munition works to avoid military service.
Mr Harmsworth went on that the country was in the middle of what was called the "married men controversy". He had always distrusted the cry of "single men first". It was not primarily a matter of whether men were married or not. It was question of physical fitness for military service, and there was a danger of tumbling out of one form of blunder into another, and here again it would be most unfortunate if the impression were created that the married attested man was about to escape military service altogether.
It would be unfair to married men to give them the impression, whether the single men were called up or not, whether the Government went with a fine-tooth comb through reserves occupations and took large numbers of single men, that in that case the married men had a good chance of escaping military service altogether.
It was in all probability, however far they might go to enlisting single men, whether starred or reserved, married men would be summoned to the Colours before the end of the war. While it must be added that the economic position of the married man was one that ought to engage, and he believed was engaging, the most earnest attention of the Government, he would with the utmost cordiality support any measures promoted by the Government for alleviating the position of the married man who was called up.
Mr Harmsworth spoke with confidence of the future outlook, and described the position of Germany as fast approaching a state of desperation - evidenced by their odious methods.
After praising the achievements of Bedfordshire men at the Front, he said the last stages of the journey would be hard, "but we must persevere and win, even if we enrolled every man and spent every shilling".
"We are fighting for the liberties of unborn generations. Let us brace ourselves for the final effort, and the victory will be ours, if we have the pluck to match it. Then our children's children will be able to look back to these dark days with pride and say, 'They stood united and unafraid in the midst of a great peril. They won back the liberties of the oppressed peoples and saved Western civilisation from the greatest peril that has ever menaced it'."
[The Luton News, Thursday, March 23rd, 1916]