The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-19
ENGLAND EAGER
TO MELT ARMY
Demobilization One of the
Chief Objects of Interest
Now.
HEAVY BILL is URGED
League of Nations of Second
ary Interest as Peace COun-
Gil Gathers.
HEAVY BILL is URGED
Special cable Despatch 10 The srN.
Co,,r,,lf ,o-a. otI ri1bfS rsssrrCd

Copyright. 1859; all rights reserrod.
PARIS, Jan. 1s.-Drawing up the
worlds bill against Germany for dam
ages suffered determining Germany's
position among the nations. demobili-
zation at the earliest possible moment
and the Limitation of armaments are
likely to be among the cardinal points
OF the programme which the British
will advocate at the beginning OF the
peace conference.
These points are considered by a
large section OF the public in Great
Britain as more important than the
immediate formation in all Its details
! Of the league OF nations. OF course the
British desire sincerely to see the
league created with every possible
means OF preventing the recurrence OF
war but the foremost idea expressed
not only ~ thoughtful Englishmen
bu. by the millions o: soldiers still IN
the army or now being discharged Is
"It never must happen again.
The British are earnest in their de-
sire to prevent future wars. Premier
LLOYD George has said he believes peace
with Germany Is the first great aim,
and peace at the earliest moment, so
that the sword can be beaten into the
ploughshare. 1t is not necessary that
the league Of nations. with all Ns ap-
nurtenances should be created before
the practical questions OF peace are
settled; It will be enough for common
sense men II the Allies Immediately
upon convokng the conference agree
| upon and declare to the world the broad
principles OF the league of nations and
then proceed TO the business OF peace
making, entrust!ng in the meantime
to some sort OF committee tho work OF
eubodylng the principles enunciated In
definite form for consideration imTed'-
atcly after peace Is signed.
In Accord With Wilson.
I; seems safe to say that President
Wilson will find or has found already
hearty cooperation IN almost any pa
ctfst" ideas he may have. In fact there
are those who 20 so far as TO assert
that the British delegation would sup
por, heartily a move for all the nations
:
service and limit armies TO small forces
something like the American army De-
fore the war. Great Britain OF course
is essentially a naval power and has
had little use for a large army herself
prior to the present war
Now that the war practically is over
the fact that the British are mot nat
urally a military people Is asserting IT.
self in the desire OF nne-tenths OF the
British army to return home again. This
feeling is comprehended readily by the
American army. The great and grow
ing force in Great Britain to-day is the
Iaboring class. with which every states
man must reckon increasingly.
This laboring class is essentially
pacifist. not in the craven sense. but
Just as nine-;enths OF the Americans are
pacinsts that is. they think that wars
are wrong and they do not want TO
fight and did so only In self-defence.
The laborng men in the army now are
eager to get out 81 khaki and into
overalls again; they look TO their fepre-
sentatiyes in the peace conference TO
effect the transformation in the shortest
possible time, with the minimum OF de-
lays.
II is taken for granted that no gen
eral rehabilitation really is possible
until the peace treaty either is signed or
practically signed. So, although our
military men laugh AT the idea that
the German army may fight again, they
realize that so long as peace hangs
f,re internal conditions in Germany are
likely TO remain uncertain.
Bolshcvists n Factor.
The Bolshevtsts may regain the upper
hand and necesstate the sending OF
armies TO police the whole OF Germany.
II must be realized that Great Britain
is not so far from Bolshevism herself.
She has an element OF local Bolshevism
that would be strengthened by any un-
due delay in demob!lizaton. Therefore
the British would like to see the con-
ference take up Immediately the ques-
tim OF what is to he done with Ger