The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-01
BRITISH DRAFT
BILL APPROVED
Election Pledge Violations
Charged as Commons
Pass Measure.
PERIL Barred
Army Of Occupation of ESQ.,
600 to Aid Peace, Says
Churchill.

LONDON. March 31.-The House Of
Commons passed to-day the third
reading OF the military bill by a vote
the Government on the ground OF
wasteful expenditure and violation OF
election pledges to abolish conscrip-
ton
Winston Spencer Churchill, Secre-
tary for War, made a vigorous reply.
He described the broad band across
Europe from the White Sea to the
Caspian as smouldering or afiame
through Bolshevik attacks, and de-
clared that Germany and Austria were
likely to slide into hopeless anarchy or
form a military alliance with the Boil
sheviki.
Churchill Explains Cost.
In respect to the cost OF the army
OF occupation. Mr.. Churchill said that
after deducting the estimated figure of
about S350.Q00,o00 to be recovered
from Germany for the upkeep OF the
Rhine Army. this left the cost OF the
army of occupation for the present
year at ss65, 100000. The amount
which was expected TO be recovered by
salvage was calculated to pay two or
three times over the cost of the armies
Of occupation during this year.
/ Replying TO arguments that there was
no national necessity for the bill. MI
Churchill declared that Bolshevik
armies were attacking along the whole
! front in Europe and the various little
] 4,
! be said, he asked that Great Britain
! had no interest in seeing the world
coming to a peaceful settlement: The
moment the Allies divested themselves
! of their military forces they would be
poverless to exercise the slightest in
fuence on the course of events all over
Europe.
/ The approximate distribution of troops,
the Secretary said. would be as follows {:
In Great Britain. l76.000; in France,
! l20,0 900 army on the Rhine, $4,000. In
Italy and adjacent regions, Mr.. Church.
/ i'll added there would be 10000 men, in
! order to adjust the lamentable differences
/ which had arisen between Italy and the
/ Jugo SlaNs, saying:
I'VE are keeping small forces of Brit
! ish troops there in many localities where
the troops of no other nation would be
welcome. We have been asked to do this
! in conjunction with our allies, because it
! has been found that these troops could
prevent troubles between the local popu-
lations merely by their presence during
the period We are trying to settle things"
This was of course, continued the sec
retary, done at the request and by the
desire OF both parties. who felt that
otherwise there might be n grave politt-
! cal situation and there were no troops
anywhere engaged on a more mercful
and benefcent task.
/ Armies Await Peace.
In the middle East and the Caucasus
! there were 5000 men. and he hoped
! that they might be substantially reduced
! in the near future. These troops had
! been there to eNpel Turks and Germans.
and were there now merely to keep the
people from flying at each others
throats until decisions had been reached
at the Peace Conference
: In Mcsopotamia Great Britain had 30
900 men. After cmpha sizing the small
| ness of the number Of troops actually
! In Russia. Mr.. Churchill said that II
( Russia did not exist the bill would
st'l. be necessary. In North Russia and
/ Siberia there were something like go
900 men. out of a total OF 900
BrltlSn troops comprising the con-
templated Army OF Occupation in the
various areas during this trying period
I From these $50 900 men 1t would be
necessary to deduct POS, 900, VITO were
not comhatants in any sense.
'"ro secure peace and tranquility
! throughout the immense regions that
have fallen into our hands during the
war and to secure fulilment of tbs
. peace treaty and to enable MS, in con-
junction with our Allies. to influence a
settlement in Europe" said Mr.. Church
. III, THE total forces We propose TO keel
at our disposal arc thus approximately ely
$50 600 men,
II was quite impossible to get the
forces required by voluntary means be.
fore the peace treaty was finally and
definitely ratified. he declared,
Referring 10 a speech by a deputy
who had attributed the situation ir
Egypt to the military government of the
country, Mr.. Churchill remarked that
whatever might he said, British soldiers
and British Generals we're more in de.
mand in every country Of the world as
lawgivers and pacifers than the soldiers
of any other country. As a matter ot
fact. British rule, under which Egypt
had prospered so enormously. he as.
serted never had been military, but
civilian. OF course, in time of war eX.
ceptional steps had 10 be taken, but the
country had been administered through
civilian authorities.