ARMY ESTIMATES

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 February 1920, Page 5

ARMY ESTIMATES

CONS&iIPTIdN AMSHED

REGULAR, ARMY ESTABLISHED

iPOSITION EXPLAINED

STATEMENT B'f MR. CIiu'HOEILL

(Australian and N.Zi Cable Association.)

(Received this day at 8.25 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. la the House of Commons, Mr. Winston Churchill, introducing the Army Estimates, emphasised that conscription "would terminate on March :51st.. He claimed that Britain had created in a single year what was broadly the pre war regular ai'iiiy ahd had also organised additional troops to discharge a temporary and a new liability. He mentioned that the British delegates fought at the Peace Conference for the'abolitiou of conscription, but the only response came from Germany under dire compulsion (laughter) all the other states retained compulsory service, including the United States, the originator of th e League of Nations, and Russia, the home of advanced political thought (cheers and laughter). Nevertheless, Britain returned to the voluntary system, and would have by 30 -April'22o,ooo white troops compared with 175,000 before the war and'also during the greater part cf the year 109,000 Indians.

Discussing the increase in the Army in view of the removal of the German menace, 'Mr. Churchill said that, he thought it idle to protend that the pre-war Army was proportionate to the vi.sk Britain ran or her important. role. On the other hand, a new serious responsibilities, coth temporary and permantnt, were plac ed on Britain as u result of the war while the whole Eastern world was in a state of extreme disquiet in addition to temporary responsibilities on the Rhine, and in the plebiscitary portions of Germany, Constantinople, Egypt, and north-west Persia. There were two important permanent responsibilities, Palestine and Mesopotamia' where there were garrisons of 10,000 white and Indian's, compared with 17,000 white and 44,000 Indians before the war. Both garrisons must be refilled if either was to pay its way. Considerin gthe burdens in th?< East no relief could be expected until real peace was made with Turkey. , He trusted that hiving dispersal her armies, we would not now take, steps: at driving the Turkish people to despair or undertake new obligations because our resource i were not quite equal to their discharge. Mr. Churchill enumerated the factors of uncertainty in the Middle East, for instance on the Turkish reception of the Peace Treaty. Bolsheyik aggression would fffect the Milner Commission in Egypt and the termination of responsibilities in

Constantinople, but he had decided to take an optimistic view and provide for a reduction of the garrisons in the Middle East from iu,UUO

white and 21,000 Indians to half their present strength. The Irish garrison was 35,000 against 25,000 pre-war. Discussing the finance of the Estimates which totalled £120,000,000 Mr. Churchill pointed out that costs had multiplied two and a quarter times, compared with before the war, and resulted in less war power. Three or four years of detailed study would be needed to get the same value.

Mr. Churchill said that he favoured a steady increase in. the Air Force at the expense of the Army and Navy, but only in proportion as the Air Force was able to discharge from day to day the duties now performed bv the Armv and the Navy.

Instancing the possibilities' of the Air Force, the speaker drew attention to the Somaiiian campaign. If was proposed %i apply the same principle to Mesopotamia where the Air Force would be the principle agency of control, the military and Navy acting as auxiliaries..

Referring to the development of tanks-, Mr. Churchill mentioneu trie development cabled earlier, adding that although tanks weighed thirty tons the roads remained undamaged. Anti-tank warfare had also profoundly advanced. A new grenade had been devised which would be discharged from ;ui ordinary rifle, and be capable of inflicting a mortal injury on a tank. Summaring the army system, Mr. Churchill emphasised that the territorial army would be the normal means of expansion of the British Forces for a supreme emergency such a sin August 19U. Britain would be able to provide for the completion of a cavalry division, six divisions! of regulars immediately, and in the course or the next few months one yeomanry division and fourteen divisions of territorials complete, with equipment and reserve. Behind these would be the jcadeta enable of calling into being a further twenty divisions. If was "proposed to reduce the garrisons in the Middle East to the barest minimum, compatible with security, sending reinforcements from Home or India, in the event of an emergency. Mr. Churchill alluded to the fact. that the Dominions' contemplated reproducing a number of divisions from the present very fine military . material, but the adjustment of our relations with them would be undertaken in future months." If the scheme succeeded, Britain would have for., siome years a large latent reserve of trained manhood, and ample war "materials. Germany could not become formidable for a number of years, while France and Be'gium, who were organising large.military forces, were bound to Britain by ties of. friendship and interest which probably would be embodied in military arrangements.. Therefore temporarily there was- no eminent danger of Western Europe, but the time might come when a review of the military streno'th 4 by Germany or Germany and Russia combined might necessitate a drastic revision of ' arrano;ements. Concluding Mr. Churchill re-em-phasised the fact that Britain alone

amongst the nations had abolished conscription; resulting, in the limitation of her military power. . "We will have to do the best with the forces at our' disposal to discharge the duties to the Empire ana should a great emergency arise we must trust the Fleet and Air. Forcei to give time to bring the might—the irresistable might, as it bns been proved—of Britain into the field. VARIOUS CRITICISMS. LABOUR DISAPPOINTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received this dav at 10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 23. During the debate in the House o" Commons, Mr. B. 0. Spoor, labour member for Bishop Auckland, said that the Government's policy regarding the Army revealed in Mr. Clui'-chiU's: speedi was a terrible disappointment to the Labour Party. Major-General Seely expressed the opinion that it was impossible for one Minister.to supervise the. Army and Air Councils.