The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-05
Military Experts Not Alarmed
at Imperial Proposal to
Enlarge Army.
CAN PROTECT FRONTIER
Million Men Available for
Border Duty; Pekin-to-Paris
Aviation Contest.
BY GEORGE DUFRESNE.
! Cable to The Tribune.

Special Gable to The tribune
PARIS. May 4.--France is as firm a
partisan OF peace as she has been all
these years. but she is not afraid OF
war. Time was when the idea Of the
possibility of an outbreak Of hostili-
ties with the puissapt neighbor on the
eastern frontier created feeling akin
10 trepidation among the population;
but all that is over now. ~ such war
is ever to come, 1T will be accepted
with resignation but also with conf
dence. Such is the effect of the seri-
Gus crisis which caused so much anx-
iety throughout the civilized world In
the latter half of 1911.
The decision of the German govern
ment to increase the imperial army IS
naturally the subject of a good deal
Of comment and speculation on this
side of the border. and, naturally, dit
ferent views are expressed on the mat"
ter General Bonnal, than whom no
higher authority on military questions
exists in this country. has just given
his opinion, and it is both clear and
eminently reassuring. The gallant Off
Ger begins with the argument that As
Frances eastern frontier Is Of limited
extent, and as even, if the neutrality of
Belgium and Switzerland were violat-
cQ. III "OujQ 00L PACeou LOU uitco,
100000 men would suffice to cover it,
And this million France possesses. Be-
hind this force there would be num-
Der of reservists, almost equal, in fact,
to the German arlnv so the Increase
that has been decided on would not
make so great a difference after all.
France Is Prepared.
General Bonnal says that the i'm
portance thus paid to mere numbers
is survival of the terrible year, when
the French had often to fi"ht at the
rate of one to ten. but this is not the
have their plan. the French have their
plan. too. They will have enough men.
Their railways will be busy all the
time. and even if tho French could send
$4,000 more men into the field they
would do well not to yield to such
temptation.
They have something better than
mere numbers. Without speaking of
their aviators. their commanders are
admirably trained and fit. There is
close union between officers and troops.
600 to Germany and see the gulf that
separates the officer from his men, and
you will return full Of confidence in
our companies and our regiments"
says Bonnal.
No, France need not be disconnected
at the folie du nombre'' which pre-.
walls in Germany, and which only serves
to illustrate the frame Of mind in Of
ficial quarters. tThey feel that war
is approaching, and perhaps they even
desire it, under the impression that
accounts must be settled once and for
an,' concludes Bonnal.
Ar1nistice on Frontier.
The new aviation chief, Colonel
Hirschauer. is already making his plans
for the future OF the "birds Of war;
which shall be intrusted to his care.
1t is suggested that one of these days
all the aeroplanes scattered through
France will be grouped and concen.
trated in the east, not far from the
frontier.
1t is also limited that the aeronautic
services will be incorporated in the
army corps. Each commandant Of an
army corps will have at his disposal Il
number Of aeroplanes. Aviation is TO
be separated from ballooning proper.
The ayiators will be formed into
distinct service; the aeropauts will also
have their separate department, though,
Of course, aeroplanes and sirships will
be able to work together.
Pehn-to-Paris Flight.
Much interest has been aroused by
the proposed aeroplane flight from Pc
kin to Paris. The contest will take
place this year-probably in August.
According to present arrangements the
itinerary will be Pekin, Kiarbine, Ir'
kutsk, Tomsk, Venice, Genoa, Mar.
scilles, Lyons and Paris The contest
will be confined to the French firms
that construct aeroplanes- Each firm
will have the right to enter three aero
planes. and each aeroplane will bo pi.
loted by two aviators. The Mntin will
give prizes amounting to $4,000.
These will only be given to those
aviators who complete the journey. If,
however, no competitor fnlfils the con-
ditlons OF the coutest-that is to say,
after leaving Pekin no one is able to
reach Paris, for SOME fault or other
a prize of $4,000 will be given to the
aviator who reaches Europe first.
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