The Washington herald., 1920-09-13
GERMAN ARMY
ENDIN SIGHT
Big Military Force to Dis
band September 27 by
Spa Order.
By $. b. CoNGER.
HF . u Wv "
Cwashin ston Hcraid-Pubiic Ledger

Cwaxhinston Heraid-Pubiic Ledger
Service, Special Cable DispntchD
Berlin, Sept. 12.-Plans for de
militarizing'' the German security
police as a police army of 10000
veteran soldiers, established by the
republic to preserve order against
internal foes in order to comply with
the entente ultimatum at Spa are
practically completed.
The reorganization is largely a
surface one, as could be expected
from the brief period granted to ac-
complish it with the threat of the
occupation of the Ruhr Basin hang
ing over the head of the government
unless it was completed by Septem-
bcr 81.
The force preserves a military or
ganization in companies of 100 men,
with generals, colonels and other
officers OF military hierarchy and
lives for the most part in barracks
under strict military discipline.
Modern Arms Lost.
The army retains, with permission
of the entente, military uniform,
much of its military equipment,
rifles, hand grenades, machine guns
and armored automobiles. 1t loses.
however, its artillery, aeropIanes,
flame thrOwers and other modern
implements of field warfare, the
necessity of which to combat a reyo-
lutionary street mob or RED army
within the gates could not be justi-
fed in the eyes of entente repre-
sentatives.
The members of this young army
hitherto have been recruited largely
from the nOnCommissioned officers
of the old standing army. They en-
listed like the regular army for
fourteen years. Each man is armed
with a pistol and hand .grenades,
every third man has a military car
bine, every company one heavy and
two light machine guns and every
regiments tank.
The authorities hope to obtain in
terallied consent to increase the
number of carbines
These troops constitute a first-line
force with which the Spartacus lead
ers must reckon IL they attempt to
carry out plans for an armed in
surrection. Behind it stands the
regular army.
Army Titles Discarded.
The scheme for a security police
army is covered by a certain amount
Of what is vulGarly called bunk" q"
for the benefit of entente critics, in
Guiding the new name defense po-
lice"
New nonmilitary titles for officers
form part of the sweeping scheme
for the concentration of the entire
police establishment
by two generals and thirteen
colonels. probably bearing less mill
tary titles This represents a con-
siderable saving in money and mill
tary glory. the security police alone
now furnishing posts for five gem
erals and thirty-four CoIonels.
Simul ltaneOusly with the reorgan-
lzation of the police. which admit
tedly can be effective only on paper
BY the prescribed date. Disarmament Mt
Commissioner Peters is laborinC on
a far more difficult task imposed By
fthc Spa conference in calling in and
destroying military weapons and
ammunition in the possession Of the
civil population.
He is meeting not only obstruc-
tion, but also active opposition from
the elements in the conservative
and radical camps seeking to retain
arms on one hand for a Communist
uprising and on the other for a new
military or mOnarchist revolt
Placards posted throughout the
cities Offering rewards for the sur
render OF rifles. hand grenades. etc,
arc frequently torn down or defaced
nv organized opposition. nccessitat-
ing the posting of fresh sets. The
radical opposition in South Germany
even posted counter posters, urging
the population to disregard the law,
Penalties Of the disarmament law,
reaching to ten years in the penl-
tentiary, have therefore been ex-
tended to cover instigation to dis
ORGY the law as well as refusal OF
: neglect to surrender arms.
Public Led~er Servicel