The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-14
Declares tie English Military
Service Act Met Great
Emergency.
THE PEACE CONFERENCE
WILL IIAkE HISTORY
British Prime Minister Says
Decision to Be Taken in Next
Few Months VIII Leave Mark
on World = Ages to Come
VIII Reap Fruit.

London. Dec. 11-Prenl:er Lloyd
George, speaking today at Bristol, said
the English military service act was
passed in order to meet Il great cmcr-
gency. When that emergency WIS
passed the need WAS passed and the
act would lapse. Ec added there was
no intention 20 renew It. Whether
Great britain would require consc1p-
! ton in the future in any shape o.
ed not upon the opinion which he now
expressed bat upon the peace terms
(which were made. Continuing. the
prime minister said:
What drove Us to conScriptlon wa&
| the existence Of conscript armies on
! the continent that inevitably rushed
/ the world into .war. They could nor
i have. great military machines there
without tempting the men at the head
OF them to try then, luck with those
machines. The Germans always fell
there was nothing TO resist their per
feet military machine.
IF you want a permanent peace: if
YOU want TO prevent the horrors OF
this war being repeated you must put
an end to conscript armies on the cor
tinent of Europe.
The frs: thing 70 DC is to prevent
the repetition Of b!unders OF the past
by making it Impossible to have
those great conscrip armies in tho fu
ture
I'VE did not have the machinery
for an offensive war. Our navy is
defensive weapon ard rot an often
sive cne; and that is why we do not
mean tc give it up We have kept
these islands free from invasion for
centuries and we mean to take no
risk in the future.
AIr. L'ovd George declared that tn
decision viiicij would ',e ta:1on IN tf.e-
few mouths IN the peace corfe.,ei2ce
was Goin@ fc leave Q mark anon IL
world. The aces 10 csc he saidi
would BE able to reap the fruits o. Il.
The premier next dealt With the
question Of Indemnity HA declare4
the war had cost Germany less thaa
it had cost Great Britain. It cost Great
Britain. he declared 5000. 900, ,0o0
pounds. a gigantic sum. The German
bill. he believed was 6e(l. eco of's'
or 7.GGn. .00o.G pounds IIe ccn,@nle.
Il was iudefensible tilaJ tf1e !.e-se2
wno was IL the wrc3% :ipa nas! tat
should pay less than the De~.@n gao
was declared TO be IN the right an.
had won.
The premier sale; 2 E,.;ti.!l i'1l2c'';a
commissions had bcea appointed 70 in
vcs:::yate tha c..pacitg o2 Germany (tS'
pay) and tbat he had received its re
port Ee summarized his remarks O.:
this point IS follows:
First. As far as justice is con-
cerned we have an absolute right TO
demand the whole cost Of the va
from Germany.
second. We propose to demand TIE
whole cost Of the war from Germany.
..Third-When you<come to the eE-
acting OF it we must exact in such =
way that it does not do more harm
to the country that receives it than
the country that is paying it.
s.Fourtir-The commission appoint
ed BY the British cabinet believes it
can be done.
'sThe allies are II exactly the same
boat. We shall put in our demands
all together and whatever they are
they must come in front Of the Ger
man war debt"
The rhine ministcr continued ''Th"
first consideration the minds OF tee
allies VIII be the interests Of the peo-
pie upon whom th" Germans have
made war and not in the interests o.