South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-30
ONLY ONE FIFTH
GERMAN MATERIAL
HAS BEEN SCRAPPED
Inter-allied Commission Finds
Task of Destruction
Difficult.
BY MARCEL RAY.

BERLIN. June 2s.-Sca cely one
fifth OF tho war material IN the
hands OF the Germans when the
armistice was signed has been de-
stroyed, although the treaty OF Yer
ssilles prescribes 10. immediate de-
strucnon. Gen. Nollet, head OF the
inter-allied commission OF control
which has entire charge OF the task
OF supervision OF the destruction OF
the German war machine explained
20 me the difficulties surrounding
the work Of the commission.
Germany" said the general,
still possesses enormous quantities
OF war material We have taken
over thousands Of guns Of heavy
ealiber. but there remain at least
fivs times as many which we know
about. besides the hidden stores we
are discovering every day. We have
constructed more than a hundred
eenters OF destruction which are
working constantly. As a matter OF
fact. we DO not actually destroy
the guns We merely render them
incapable Of military use. The
guns are cut into pieces and the
metal is turned over 20 the repara-
ton commission 20 be placed 10
Germany's credit, or IL is sold TO
German factories as raw material
Control Of Electives.
Besides exercising vigilance
over the destruction OF German
armament. the commissioner has
another and much more important
task TO perform. This is the con-
troll OF the electives Of the existing
German army. This Is something
which concerns us not only today,
but also Is a great problem for the
future. IL is the most difficult part
o. our task because IL IS constantly
complicated by questions OF a Toliti-
cal order.
aThe treaty OF Versailles gives the
Germans the right 10 organize police
corps without war weapons The
troops OF the einwohnerwehr were
organized for war purposes and
were armed precisely like those OF
the reichswehr. II we find that the
ortwher come under the same head
ing we Will take immediate action
and force the German government
70 dissolve this corps also"
Explains His Methods.
Gen. Nollet explained the meth
DDS by which he Is carrying out the
surveillance of Germany's military
activities.
The mechanism OF our organiza-
ton" re said. "is very simple. II
consists OF three sub-Commissions
One has charge OF German fortif
cations. another OF armament and
the third OF the electives. Each OF
these Is II charge OF a general. IN
carry out the work OF these commits
sions Germany has been divided into
small number OF districts. In
each OF these districts there Is a
colonel with hts staff and secre-
taries. usually from 20 10 30 per-
sons I'm all They work IN commune
ton with a similar German staff. If
any question comes up which can
not he settled on the spot by these
men II Is referred 10 the council OF
the commission which reaches a de-
cfsion and transmits il 10 the Ger
man government for execution.
THE powers Of the commission
which II holds from the SUPREME
council and Marshal Foch will con-
tinue until the day when every one
OF the military clauses of the treaty
Of Versailles has been ev-cuted In
full agreement with m colleagues
Of all the allied armies. intend "a
carry out the provisions OF the
treaty without brutality, without
useless rigor. but also without
weakness"