§ 60 and 61 Mr. LYLEasked the Prime Minister (1) whether the Government is arranging any special Peace Day celebrations for the East End of London, particularly in view of its patriotic contributions to the prosecution of: the War; and (2) whether, in view of the small number of the Allied troops marching in the Peace procession through West and South London, he will consult his advisers as to the possibility of a somewhat similar march by another body of troops through East and North London?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe original intention of His Majesty's Government was that there should be two processions on the 19th instant, identical, as far as possible, in their composition, but confined to the Imperial Forces. One procession was to pass through portions of the West and South London, and the other was to march through the City and a part of the East End. Later, it was decided, in deference to appeals which reached the Government from many quarters, to include in the processions representatives of as many of the Allied Armies as could be assembled in the time. We were then advised that, in. view of the fact that the majority of the 31 Allied contingents must necessarily be strictly limited in their numbers and that the arrangements for their accommodation and provision would, if they were divided, present insuperable difficulties, it was not possible to have two representative processions. In the circumstances, the Government were compelled very reluctantly to abandon the idea of a second procession.