The New York herald., 1921-10-03
China Leads With 100000
Active Troops, France and
Britain Next, Germany
Last With 100000.
RESERVES TO BE FACTOR
Japan's Forces Put at 800, 900
and Americas at 100000;
United States Only Power
That Has Demobilized.
By thc Associated Press.

BD the associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2.-Active armies
OF the fourteen most important ma
tons of the world to-day include an
proximately six million men according
TO figures obtained here and regarded
as reasonably correct. With the in
clusion OF land ornaments in the
agenda Of the forthcoming Conference
on Limitation of Armaments these
are the figures with which it is ex-
pected the assembled commissioners
will have to deal.
While China stands first among the
nations in this summary Of soldiers
actually under arms about September
i, 1921. being credited with 100000
active troops, France is far ahead
among the nations not distressed by
civil strife in the number Of men
with the colors. The French army
strength is placed at 1,03A,000 men,
the British Empire standing next with
740,500 and Germany last with 10O,-
600. The United States stands thir-
teenth with 900 men in the Regular
Army, exceeding only Germany, while
Italy has 350.o0O and Japan 100000
active troops.
Figures for other Powers include
Russia, 53S,O00: Poland, 100000;
Greece, 255.ooO; Spain. $4,000; Swift
zerland, 10000; Turkey, $4,000;
Czecho- Slovakia 10000.
Many Factors Are involved.
In considering problems connected
with attempted reduction of armed
forces ashore 1t is to be assumed. how
ever, that the Washington conferees will
il necessary take into consideration
many other factors than the forces ac-
tually under arms in computing the
army strength of any nation for pur-
poses of discussion.
Reserve systems, the extent to which
reserves have been organized for quick
mobilization and the degree OF training
they have received all would be reviewed
by technical experts.
In many countries some form of uni
versal military service obligation rests
upon the entire male population. Japan,
Italy. France, Greece, Czecho-Slovakia,
Poland, Switzerland and Spain all have
In force such laws, while among British
colonies South Africa. New Zealand and
Australia have similar enactments.
BY these factors the relative figures
take on an even wider discrepancy than
the national army strength is viewed
from the standpoint Of active armies
alone. France, for instance, Is esti-
mated to have beyond her million men
in arms. 100000 reservists, the ma
jority OF them highly trained as a re-
suit OF war experience, and the whole
body included In highly organized re-
serve system that will keep the nations
trained lighting personnel at that point.
Enormous Reserve Forces.
Italy's 100000 fighting troops are
backed by 4,627,00o reservists in an
equal state of preparedness, and Japan.s
100000 by another army of 1,s45.0o0
trained and equipped to take the field
on short notice.
The United States has at present
nothing In the way of organized reserves
behind the Regular Army except the
National Guard, the movement for or
ganization of voluntary reserve having
iust been started.
Still another angle OF the army re-
ductlon problem which may come UP at
the conference Is the proportion OF active
and organized reserve personnel to the
man power of the nation the available
number OF males of fighting age in the
population. In France, italy and some
other countries virtually every male fit
Tor army service already either Is in the
active army or has a definite place in
the organized and trained reserve.
One thing clearly established by these
army figures. military experts said, was
that the United States alone among the
victor nations In the war seems to have
completely dcmobilized. The Regular
Army to-day IL little stronger In number
than II was before the mobilization In
1917. The National Guard, due 10 re-
organization after the war. Is actually
weaker.