Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-23
BRITISH SOLDIERS WANT
TO GET OUT OF SERVICE
Think Need for Them Ended with
Signing Of .Armisticc and Ccs-
sation OF Fight.
CHOOSE ARMY OF OCCUPATION
Men Who Have Been In Longest Say
They Should Re Allowed to Go
Home and Leave Younger Men to
Guard Interests at Front.
~ EArON l,EAMN.

j. LONDON. March c..-There Is
+, considerable amour; of unrest in
Britain AT the present time on The
question of demobilizauon
The majority OF soldiers seem l" nc
,chsesscd with the false notion tina!
Since al .arm!siicc has been arrange.
( the war IS practically over Gui ms
is far frSm being fact c,,>
The British government IS iu!iE
alive 20 the !'npcrtaneo That II IS its
first duty 10 = men to rcie4Se az me
earliest possible moment those VINO
for four strenuous years nave horne
the hrunt OF arms. 1t is natural hat
these men are ''fcd up with lighting
and long to go back TO- ,he,r rsacs sn3I
+ ,licrs whose careers are still uuCArNeu,
and who do not intend 20 ADOPT the
army as profession ,p nnsnFa and , ieei
opportunities are slippins from them
which may never return.
SO long. howevsr. as the fruits OF
the terms Of The peace conference stu!
are untitled. il Will he u necessity 10
maintain strong army in the occupied
territory in Germany.
Sir Eric Cicddes. who is co-ordina;!ns
and directing the process % demohit-
cation IN an important Spe Sc recer,y
OF occupation. not post be!!um
army"
'thc army Of occupation will no; be
composed in any way as a postbeliunn
army would have been composed. and
in selecting II there are many diihcult
poin:S 10 consider Tho men who went
out nrst IN tho carly days Of the war
naturally thought they should get home
first but sometimes these men were
not the men who would help US TO
greatest 1cicrity. They arc no; so in
dispensablc in the life at home as
others who Went out later. and III Sc
lcciing the army OF occupation. which.
nj -
10 bc under the existing military ser
vice acts. We must arrive at some fair
basis. some basis that must strike the
But the fairest way OF selecting tina;
army surely would have been on the
lines OF length of service. for the men
after all TO whom Britain owes so
much, deserve every consideration
That the mon who joined the army
at the eleventh hour-so 10 speak--
should be the last TO be dcmobilized
must not he overlooked that these men
were probably modified last on &C
coun, of their essential occupat lions
and for The same reason arc the nrst
return 10 them without delay.
The whole problem bris,les with
dinicultics on every side.
IT is this asrcct OF the matter which,
difficulties to the authorities in the
scheme Of disqualification. ON this roint
fair 10 the men who are kept on
there. and il may be tina; ii will b,
essential even % the detriment of the
rehabilitation OF industries TO retail,
cut there some men. probably lars'
numbers, whom il might be conside
cd most desira bic in the interests o
industry that we should have at home
AGE LIMIT OF OCCUPATION
ARMY FINED At THIRTY-TINI
The age limit for the army Of oc
Cupation has been fixed at thirty-nvI
1t has been suggested that tho gov
~ eminent should grant material in
'orcase OF pay 20 those compelled u
remain in the army while their com
radcS are released for civil occupa
i!onS
Tho strength OF tho postwar arm,
obviously must depend entirely on tn,
decisions arrived al BY the peace con
fcrcncc. and il is also understood ,hs
.,he government viii lie compelled u
Keep conscrlpton in force for man,
months in order 10 guarantee tn,
maintenance of the Rhine army
No serious difficulty is anticipated
N Mt. an inc -l,a