The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-08
TREATY WRECKS
HUN FRAMEWORK
OF MILITARlSM
Measures Formed to Stamp
Out Even Military Spirit of
People.
(By Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, May S.-Extended
study today OF the military terms of
the peace treaty convinced army Of
fcials here that the point at which
it is proposed to start on limitation of
ornaments is the absolute extirpation
OF militarism in Germany Not
vestige Of the vast military teamwork
built up in forty years of preparation
for world conquest by Germany is to
be left.
Measures have been formulated even
to stamp out the military spirit borne
so carefully in the people. Under the
treaty any enterprise aiming at mil
itary propaganda is forbidden and mil
itary education cannot be carried on
except in the ranks of the army Of
100000. Such an army cannot per-
petuate itself in any way or expand
through turning trained men back to
civil life as an unorganized reserve.
This feature Of the military terms
the inhibition upon discharging from
/ the army any year more than five per
cent. of its strength-coupled with the
12-year enlistment period, it is said
by American army officers will pre-
vent recurrence Of the scheme by
4 which Germany was once able to
throw OF the yoke Napoleon sought
to impose when he limited her army
to few thousand men each year. 1t
was apparent, these observers said.
that the lesson of that day had been
completely learned by the French mil
itarists generally credited with hav-
ing devised the terms Of the present
treaty.
Make Army DIstastefuI.
The 12-year enlistment period re-
| quired, it was said, was calculated to
make the army highly distasteful to
the average man. There can be for
him no hope of advancement. but only
the drudgery of soldier life, for ii
will not be an expanding force. Off.
GERS doubted very much that the 100,
600 men allowed, could be maintained
as required by voluntary recruitment
Since the dismantling of the forts
on the eastern frontier was not re
quired it was assumed by some observ
ers here that the treaty contemplated
linterposing Germany and it's limited
army as a buffer against the Bolshev
Xxi in Russia. Should Russia find her
self and strong government arise
there, which could be recognized by
the western powers, it was said un
doubtedly the reduction of the eastern
defenses would be insisted upon.
1t is the view here that the pro
visions of the treaty reserving to some
Russian government yet to be indi
Gated all the benefits enjoyed by the
allied and associated powers, probably
would cover such an extension. In the
meantime, however, Germany is to b'
kept on guard along her eastern from
tier in self-defense against Bolshevisn
and at the same time act as buffe
, for the western powers.
Naval Terms Drastic.
The naval terms are if anything
more drastic than those imposed as Il
, the army, naval officers said. Whel
/ a sea power claiming a strength sec
} ond only to that of Great Britain, GeI
many will be reduced to naval powe
virtually without rank in the world
} The six battleships she may retain
the largest not to exceed ten thousan
tons, would not dare risk action wit
! any two modern dreadnought and es
cry other department Of the navy SCI
vice is scaled down accordingly.
, In the provision that no capita
| DC 4OPAdSON o4At4A Z" CAl
years of active service has been rel
; dered, naval designers saw the deaf
6 of the science OF naval architectur
) for battle purposes in Germany. TIL
E skill that created the ships now hel
by the allied troops will have die
out for want of employment. thes
officers said, long before the pr,
Z dreadnought battleships of the Germa
feet would need be replaced.
/ The same extreme severity chara
2 terizes the air terms, it was pointe
out All that Germany has learne
e of dirigible balloon building and nav
:, cation is to be scrapped. All the e
l. perience of the war in airplane man
facture also is to be discarded an
r should Germany ever again be FIRE
It to develop air navigation. she wi
s have to build from the ground up.
+