The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-11-28
RETI-RN or THE SOLDIERS.

There is too much tlippant talk III
"denlanding' the return Of our soldier
boys" in the newspapers and elsewhere
The Implication is that the War De
uartment is keeping them in the camps.
and in France. unnecessarily. The gov
eminent authorities are as anxious, II
not more so, to demobilize the troops.
and thus cut down expenses. as the
people at home are DESTROYS Of seeing
the soldier boys. But. in the first place.
these soldiers volunteered, or were
drafted. for the period OF the war. ana
the war is not yet ended. There Is an
arnistice. hut until treaty of peace
is signed the war is not ut an end. And.
peace may be long way off. for the
Peace Conference may get into snarl.
and IA war may result
Ibis nation has aICut 2,2OO.OOO men
in Europe. 1t required eighteen months
to get them over there. At first small
dctachmant.; We're forwarded. lut dur
ing part of the present year they were
sent at the rate of 100000 IL month.
The movements of the ships were nee
ess;rily slow. as they were conveyed
by battle cruisers. But now conveys
arc moi necessary, and we have in
creased tonnage in ships captured from
the Huns. Consequently. the troops can
be brought back more rapidly, perhaps
all of them within six months. But,
this is not necessary. as several hun
dred thousand arc needed in France,
and should remain there. relieving the
French and British soldiers, who have
done nearly all of the fighting. and
were in the trenches nearly three years
leiore the Americans got there. Bein.
tlls relieved. the French and British
soldiers can Ii turn to their ruined
homes aud devastated fields. and re-
gin again the struggle for existence
This country not having Eeen invaded
las not thus suffered. and 1t Is ut just
that our government should maintain
Il large force in Europe to Police the
conquered territory. and even to re
move the larIed wire and c.her ell
tangle nentS placed ly the Huns. Thai
should lie iart cf our contri! ution t.
thn war. We owe our liberty to til.
Allies. True. they were defendin, theil
oM.l COMMITTEES. ut they also defended
ours While We were getting ready to &,
ill., Ihlre is 10 special hurry for til,
return cf our troops. and the Govern
nicnt is taking good care of them
Ihcir lay is ample. perhaps more thai
at
ana their ra,ions are more iOul,tifg
than n,aiiy of them received lefof
they went into the Army. 1t is 1N
likely that Il majority of the soldier
desire to return at t.:lcc. The tenor O
their letters Imply that they are havin
Il good time, except for the intlueiz;
which has killed more American so
diers than We're killed by the Huns
There are i.7OO.OW soldiers in til
encampmontS in this country. still
training for service. These will soon
ordered home, and without having see
days military duty at the front. An
further. about two million men vii
were to have been called into servit
by the recent draft were relieved i
the armistice without having serve
one day in camp. and many were III
even physically examined.
The environments will soon he ab,l
doned. and the 1.7OO.GOO men in trail
ing will lie returned home as speedil
as possible. as there is no necessity f,
Keeping them there any longer
After peace terms have heen agree
upon the soldiers in France will be r
turned to their homes as quickly ;
Fossil lie. The Peace Conference will
held carly in January. How long
will lie in session is problematic;
Then, the terms will he submitted
the United States Senate. and may
accepted, or rejected. In the me;,
tille. Il very large proportion Of Il
American soldiers will remain in :,
rope. iut not Il day longer than Il
Government deems is necessary.