THE BRITISH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 170, 12 April 1919, Page 7

THE BRITISH ARMY

SERVICES BILL READ A SECOND TIME

FORCES STILI>NEEDED

By Telegraph—Pre6s Asoodation—Copyright London, April 8. The House of Lords passed tho second reading of the Services Bill. Lord Buckmaster moved tho rejection, of tho Bill. Lord Cumn pointed out that the war was. not yet over, and conditions,might revive and tho clouds burst at any moment in a moi'o sinister form than ill thy past. It iva6 absolutely certain that the troous in .Mesopotamia, Syria,', and Palestine must bo maintained intaot. Tlio small force in Russia i would withdraw at tho earliest opportunity, but tlio, .present army of 800,000, of which 208.000 consists of non-combatants, was. necessary to protect the Empire and tha conquered territories, and to hold- tho latter in order to secure tho,fulfilment of the I'eaco Treaty. The position in Vienna was serious. There was fear of

in outbreak of Bolshevism similar to that in Budapest, and our assistance was required. There had been fimilar apucnls from various quarters during tlio past four or five months. Wo had not responded with avidity,, but the power tc respond was tho guarantee of tho peaoe of tlio world—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

' TROOI'S IN THE BAST. London, April 8. Speaking in the Houso of Commons, Mr. Winston Churchill (Minister of War! stated that M. Piehon's statement that there are 110,000 British troops in the East ilMuded those in tho Balkans, Turkey, Asia Minor, and tho Caucasus. There were only 20,000 in Russia, but this figure did not include those in tho Caucasus. where tho troops were not engaged in military operations, ond wera not in contact with the enemy.—Aue.N.ZI. Cablo Assn.