BRITISH ARMY ESTIMATES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18439, 24 March 1922, Page 5

BRITISH ARMY ESTIMATES

DEBAT?IN THE COMMONS. SOLDIERS OPPOSE REDUCTION. Received March 23, 8.30 p.m. LONDON, March 22. A powerful array of soldier Commoners strenuously attacked the new Army Estimates on the ground that It was dangerous to reduce the military strength. Lord Mildmay (who moved a nominal reduction of the vote), Field-Marshal Wilson, Sir Charles Townshend, Sir John Davidson and Major Cecil Lowther were amongst the most prominent of the critics. Field-Marshal Wilson said he did not advocate an army of eighty divisions, as he was not thinking of a great European war, but how to avoid war inside the Empire. “There is.” he said, "a way to save money—leave places which do not belong to

us in the grasp of those to whom they do belong, by which means we Can effect large economy?” Sir L. Worthington Evans, replying, said: If we attempted to shape I an army on Field-Marshal Wilson’s I basis, we would be faced with the j problem that we could only secure i recruits on higher terms or by con-I Kription. Lord Mildmay’s amendment was ■ defeated by 243 to 54.