The Washington herald., 1921-11-15
France Will Oppose Army
Cut While Soviet
Rules Russia.
TEUTON THREAT
is ALSO FEARED
Will Insist on Rules to
Restrict Use of Gas
And Bombs.
BY HENRY WALES.


destruction OF land forces - re-
striction of military forces-until a
substantial and recognized form Of
government Is established in Russia
The French delegation is ready TO
discuss Limitation Of the size Of
armies at the disarmament confer
ence, and the problem is expected TO
come UP first today, when a sub
committee of military experts prob
ably will be named to examine the
problem.
But no beginning on materially
reducing the size Of armies can be
entered into by France until the
Bolshevik menace IL disstpated and
until Germany has entirely executed
all military clauses in the Versailles
treaty.
Gen Buat Drafts Plan.
Gen. Edmond Buat, chief of stan
of the French army, who is here
with Premier BRAND. has just COM
pleted the draft Of a plan for limit
ing the size of armies. due consider
alton being taken for the geograph-
ical position Of the various powers
concerned.
This plan will be presented to the
disarmament conference when the
military subcommittee Is formed,
but il will be under reserve that IL
cannot become operative while the
Muscovite and Teutonic threats are
hanging over Europe.
Following is the size Of the prtn-
cipal armies, according to statistics
which have been gathered:
Russia, 100000 men available:
$500 infantry troops now under
arms, although many are poorly
equipped; and twenty-cne divisions
of cavalry. averaging from 1000 10
5000 men to each division: the Rus
sian artillery is very weak.
French Army e57.ooo.
France, $4,000 troops under arms,
Of which $1,000 are on the Rhine IN
conformity with the guarantee
clauses of the Versailles treaty.
Other important contingents arc in
Syria, CiIicia, Constantinople. Nemel
and Upper Silesia-
Japan about 100000 troops, of
which l 500 are in Shantung. smaller
detachments at VladlvostOk. large
forces in Sakhalien and Korea, and
holding forces in Manchuria.
Italy has 2s0,O0O troops, including
several divisions in Istrla along the
Jugo- -Slavia frontier. and other
forces kept near the Austrian
border.
Poland, 100000 troops. chiefly
massed along the Red frontier. with
important groups in the Wilma region
Britain has nearly 100000 men
under arms, including native troops
| in India, the large occupationary
force in Mesopotania. and the gar
risons in Egypt and Constantinple.
Germany Has 100000.
Germany has 100, 900 IN the regu-
lar army as provided by the Yer
sailles treaty. and 10000 police and
gendarmss to maintain order.
The quarter million men under
arms in Germany are highly trained
men. thoroughly and efficiently ofti-
eered, of which every enlisted man
lis a potential non-comm ssioned off,
| Ger - "feldwebel"- or field officer.
This body Of 250,OoO men could be
used to form the skeleton for an
army Of 100000 troops, it is esti-
mated. especially for operations
within the next ten years as the
majority of the men mobiliZed would
have seen service in the great war
| Adoption of a plan for limitation
of land armaments. reduction OF the
size OF armies, must be accompanied
1 by agreement on a new code govern
ing recognized rules of warfare, 40
cording to the French viewpoint.
Must Restrict Use of Gas
Previous to the great war, armed
conflicts between nations were car
ried on BY regular, professional
arm es, COMPOSED of a small fraction
of the total of the population. The
rest of the inhabitants of the bel
ligerent countries were regarded as
non-combatants and were spared In
all military operations.
Any plan for limiting land forces
must comprise rules for warfare
restrictions regarding use OF gas
which will prevent an unscrupulous
enemy from dropping a deadly gas
bomb IN a community, loosing lethal
fumes to wipe out the entire living
population.
i Regulations concerning aerial
bcmbardments must also be dey sed
a. with improvements in aircraft II
may be possible in future warfare
for pilots to fly a thousand miles
from their base and drop bombs or
unsuspecing cities. San francisco
might fall thin a radius OF g
nights fight from some Pacific isl
and and st. Louis might be reached