The Washington herald., 1921-11-25
Ret0rts That Paris Has
Raised Largest Army
In History.
COLORED
FRENCH SOLDIERS
Says Volunteer Militia
Has Been Disbanded
And Disarmed,

BERLIN, Nov. 24.-The German
government army department. the
successor to the war department
not only denies every specific
charge made in Premier Briand's
speech in Washington. but retorts
that France has raised the largest
single army in history and brings
confidential reports claiming tina,
France has raised a colored army
of $50 battalions and now has al
most as many colored troops as
white.
In reply to questions as to
whether the German army and DO
lice department consist chiefly of
officers and noncommissioned on
GERS, whether cannon had been de-
stroyed, whether the einwohnerwehr
or volunteer militia had been dis
banded and on other points raised
officials presented a series of docu-
ments claiming that every charge
made by the French premier was
false and they brought from the
archive reports on the French army
especially on black and brown
troops. The German officers declare
that this colored army is future
menace to the white world.
Militia Has Disbanded.
Concerning the volunteer militia
army department officials assert
that NJ. Brands statements that a
force of 100000. chiefly in Bavaria
had been in existence. was true
but now II has disbanded and dis
armed under the supervision of ar
entente mission, the head of which
is largely French. Moreover the
oficials declared that a majority OF
the men in the militia were over
40 and that the organization was
formed to protect the citizens from
Bolshevtpt hands. $ They declared
that the men never had modern
weapons but carried old rides.
Concerning the army itself an6
its officers, the officials declare
that NJ. BRANDS statement that il
consists chiefly of officers and non.
commissioned officers is untrue
The statistics show, they say, thai
so per cent of the army consists
of youths who were not in the
world war and likewise there are
many new officers who had no wal
training.
Have No Airplsnes.
The present German army. they
declare. has no airplanes, no tanks
no heavy artillery and accordinp
to the Versailles treaty never will,
have these equipments.
As to NJ. Brands charges that
German war factories are ready tC
arm Germany on short notice, the
army department says that the re-
ports of the French control officers
in Germany has proved the faisity
OF the statement. They say the
allies limited the war factories
to three, one for each kind of mu-
nitions and that hundreds of fac
tories with their machinery, have
been destroyed. They declare that
the chances for supplying war
materials for an army of only 100
900 are small.
See Germany ms Helpless.
Altogether. according to the Ger
nan army representatives, France
1as an army Of $4,000 men now in
stead of the $4,000 before the
war. whereas the German army
before the war numbered 10000
Moreover. the German officials
count the Belgian army of 120. 900
the Polish of 100000 and the
Czecho- Slovak army of 10000 as
French. giving France a total OF
I602, 900 men.
The French army, with its re-
servists. numbered 3,250,000 men
according. to the German authori-
ties who claim that the German
coast is open and that Germany
without artillery, airplanes, or sup
plies. therefore is helpless.
Copyright, 1917