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Defence of the Realm Act 1914 was passed by Parliament on 4 August 1914. The act enabled the government to seize property, apply censorship guidelines and control labour as deemed necessary for the duration of the war. In 1916 the then Minister of labour, John hodge, threatened to use the act against strikers.

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342 views

Primary Source C

Defence of the Realm Act 1914 was passed by Parliament on 4 August 1914. The act enabled the government to seize property, apply censorship guidelines and control labour as deemed necessary for the duration of the war. In 1916 the then Minister of labour, John hodge, threatened to use the act against strikers.

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Document C

With Britain's entry into the First World War on 4 August 1914 the British
Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, requested that Parliament pass the Defence
of the Realm Act.
Reproduced below are relevant excepts from the August 1914 Act passed by
Parliament. The terms of the Act enabled the government to seize property,
apply censorship guidelines and control labour as deemed necessary for the
duration of the war (although the act continued in existence beyond
wartime).
In 1916 the then Minister of Labour, John Hodge, threatened to use the Act
against strikers.
Be it enacted ... as follows:
(1) His Majesty in Council has power during the continuance of the present
war to issue regulations for securing the public safety and the defence of the
realm and may by such regulations authorize the trial by courts-martial, or
in the case of minor offences by courts of summary jurisdiction, and
punishment of persons committing offences against the regulations and in
particular against any of the provisions of such regulations designed:
(a) to prevent persons communicating with the enemy or obtaining
information for that purpose or any purpose calculated to jeopardize the
success of the operations of any of His Majesty's forces or the forces of his
allies or to assist the enemy; or
(b) to secure the safety of His Majesty's forces and ships and the
safety of any means of communication and of railways, ports, and harbors;
or
(c) to prevent the spread of false reports or reports likely to cause
disaffection to His Majesty or to interfere with the success of His Majesty's
forces by land or sea or to prejudice His Majesty's relations with foreign
powers; or
(d) to secure the navigation of vessels in accordance with directions
given by or under the authority of the Admiralty; or
(e) otherwise to prevent assistance being given to the enemy or the
successful prosecution of the war being endangered.
(3) It shall be lawful for the Admiralty or Army Council:
(a) to require that there shall be placed at their disposal the whole or
any part of the output of any factory or workshop in which arms,
ammunition, or warlike stores and equipment, or any articles required for the
production thereof, are manufactured;
(b) to take possession of, and use for the purpose of, His Majesty's
naval or military service any such factory or workshop or any plant thereof;

Guided Questions for Document C


1. Who wrote this document?

2. When was it written?

3. Why was it written?

5. Would this author be biased?

4. What kind of trial is authorized by this act?

5. What are some of the reasons why these trials were allowed?

6. Are the reasons provided for the good of the individual or the group?
Explain why

7. How would you feel if you were living during this time and had to live
under this act?

8. Go back to section 3, what is meant by to require that there shall be


placed at their disposal the whole or any part of the output of any factory or
workshop

9. How would this affect the type of goods being produced at the time?

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