South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-30
BY HENRY WOOD.

PARIS. April % - Militarism
exits today in almost every country
| in the world on a bigger and more
crushing basis than before the war.
Ia grande guerre." which was
to have been the worlds last war
and which was TO have inaugurated
an era of universal peace and re-
duced ornaments has had Tor us
sole effect TO date the increasing
of the military burden of almost
every country in the world.
In fact the only exceptions are
those defeated countries whose arm
aments we're limited by the peace
treaties but even these-and no
tably Germany and Austria-are 40
ing everything in their power TO es-
cape the treaty clauses and increase
their armies 10 a much larger OASIS
than is now stipulated.
Even the United States, presum-
ably the most peaceful country In
| the world. has failed to escape from
| the mania for increased armies
which the last war" has entailed.
Coupled with the increased cost
of living. these increased ornaments
and their increased cost of main
tenance will throw on the people OF
/ every country in the world mill
tary burden infinitely larger and
more crushing than was borne be-
/ fore the war. The only thing that
makes Il seem supportable at ali Is
/ that if il is more than what II was
before the war, IL is at least less
than what the military expenses
were during the war.
While all nations OF the world
I have not yet succeeded in reorganiz-
/ ing their armies on the basis which
4 the recent war appears TO have rem
dered necessary. yet in almost every
country the reorganization projects
are under consideration, and there
I is not a single one that does not
provide for an increase over what
/ the military electives and costs
were before the war.
While. theoretically. the question
/ OF the military force to be main
/ tanned is purely an internal one
/ which every country has a right to
/ settle for itself. yet as a matter of
| fact. every country. as has always
been the case in the past, is obliged
! 10 govern the size Of its military
I electives and strength by what its
neighbors are doing.
! Likewise as in the past. Germany
I is still the worlds predominatinG
/ factor in this respect. The peace
/ treaty originally reduced the Ger
man army 10 100. Geo men. Later
| this was temporarily increased &c
| 200 600 in order TO enable Germany
/ 20 meet internal troubles and pos
sible bolshevik assaults from with
/ out.
In reality. the most accurate In
| formation from Germany shows
/ that she still has 100000 men
| under arms These consist Of her
regular army Of 100000 men; OF
| 10000 soldiers temporarily serving
with the marine; and four large or
carnations attached 10 the minis
| try OF the interior for internal de
! Tense totaling over 100000 men.
I With every indication and certainty
! that Germany intends 10 maintain
as much Of her military strength as
I possible every European country Is
I forced TO take this into consideration
\ in her own army reorganization.
England. for example. has defin-
! itelv decided upon her new army or
SANITATION which is for $4,000 men
divided into Il division and organ
\ lied into a regular and a territorial
army. The budget for this military
! crranlzatio is 125.OOO,OO pounds
as against 100000 pounds be
/ fore the war. This means military
/ burden four times larger than be-
\ fore the war.
Naturally. the size OF England'S
\ army. Just as much as the size OF
/ Germans army. dictates the size fol-
I every other country.
! At Washington despite the recon-
| mendations OF Sec'y Baker for ar
army % 100000 men, the present
\ bills before congress provide only
\ for SOC. 600 men. Nevertheless. this
/ Is double the United States electives
/ OF before the war.
/ In T-alv the reorgs nization ~ the
/ army provides for an increase from
l los regiments Of infantry 10 40 and