The sun., 1919-03-10
Churchill's Proposal to Call
Up a Million Men Bitterly
Attacked.
WANT END TO MILITARIsM
Proposal Styled Blow at Lib
critics and an Affront
to Workers.
Special Gable Despatch TO THE sUN.

LONDON, March 9.--Beaten and bruised
BY war, all Great Britain revolts at the
idea of big conscript army for policing
not only British occupied territory in
Europe. Asia and Africa but the whole
Continent of Europe from Archangel TO
the Caucasus. Secretary of War Church.
hrs statement In the House OF Commons
asking s2.22O, 100000 TO finance a con-
script army of more than a million men
is meeting with scathing criticism from
all kinds Of newspapers
While Premier Lloyd George Is trying
to persuade the Supreme Council in Paris
to adopt his plan OF restricting Germany
to a regular army of 10000 men as a
means OF preventing the growth Of the
CONSUMPTION habit in Europe his Minis
ters are arranging to increase the milf
tary burden at home.
This policy of granting Germany re-
lief from CONSUMPTION is hard 10 recon-
clle with Mr.. Churchilrs policy. the
British newspapers argue. They say
that his plan won considerable support
at first, but that on later examination It
brought out a widespread complaint
from persons whose homes have been
darkened by war and who refuse to con-
Sider 1urtner sacrlnces.
Want End to MiIitsrism.
The Evening star denounces Mr..
Churchills plan as Jazz dance of
jingoism" The same attitude has been
adopted by other journals. Under the
caption THE Betrayal" the weekly Ma
ton denounces the whole Churchill plan
at length. arguing the people have been
buoyed through the war by the hope
that It would end militia rism. II says:
Through this fratricidal contest in
which the people were sustained by the
solemn pledges of statesmen that there
would be no more CONSUMPTION and that
the common rule OF preventive law would
give mankind chance of living his
earthly span in peace and quiet the peo-
pie carried their burden bravely and
we'll But no sooner is the way TO peace
opened than II is closed again. This
country is composed OF traders. not
bandits; therefore such estimates for
war purposes have two effects. First.
they must bankrupt the empire, and.
second. destroy its industrial forces II
these paper armies are enrolled or the
monstrous expeditions and occupations
they typify are continued
Neither men nor the money are forth
coming and the Government will be met
with a refusal OF service and OF taxation
to pay for It. 1t is an act of perfdy.
This infinite continuance of conscrip-
ton is blow at the liberties Of the
country. Ii affronts soldiers and work
ers alike.
Loss of Trade Is Forcsecn.
These estimates spell the finish for
prosperous, democratic England and the
hope embodied in the labor movement.
If this military yoke is accepted Britain =
trade will be delivered 10 America. and
In the process of time to Germany. for
now the insensate Government is lifting
the burden of armament from Germany
only to lay it on its own people"
This same feeling OF dismay over the
continuance OF CONSUMPTION would pre-
vail in America had that country suf-
fered correspondence, the British editors
point ou..
On the other hand, a prominent Gov
eminent official said a great deal of
criticism was expected. but that the Gov
eminent was convinced that the chaotic
conditions OF Europe could not be met
in any other way. He said the Govern
ment Is looking further than the imme-
diate present and sees the time. per-
haps less than two years hence, when the
army will dwindle to a small, compact
mass Of men hardly larger than the
old "Contemptibles," who, with equal
numbers from others OF the allied ma
tons, can operate unde. International
authority to maintain the peace of the
world.
But today. he pointed out, with the
League of Nations Uniformed. the coun-
try cannot afford to take the chance &c
relax lite efforts and must be ready for
any emergency arising out OF the des-
perate situation in which Europe finds
itself and must be prepared 10 enforce
peace with large and we'll trained
army and naNN-