Evening star., 1921-06-12
by G. GOULD LINCOLN.


is taking the lead in the
proposal for universal dis
armament. or. at least re-
duction In armament. without await
Ing an international agreement. This
statement applies only to the land
forces SO far. however, and not to
the Navy.
When the Senate passed the Army
bill few days ago and sent it to
conference it provided for an army
of 100000 men. a reduction of approx
imately 10000 men Of the present
standing Army. OF course. 10000
men are not to be Topped of the
Army at a days notice at the open
ing of the coming fiscal year. But
re-enlistments will stop and new en-
listments ceased some time ago.
Five years ago. before the United
States entered the world war, but
when the clouds were large on the
horizon and the Mexican situation
was constant source of irritation.
a wave swept this country in favor
of preparedness" Preparedness pa
rades were held in many places. Pres
ident Wilson headed such a parade as
it marched up Pennsylvania avenue.
Small Army Again Favored.
Today the policy OF preparedness
10 yielding to the traditional policy
of the United States in favor of a
small Regular Army. The demand
for return to "normalcy." sc. far
as the Army is concerned. comes
from those who believe that. the
country must economize and from
those who fear that large standing
armies mean a militaristic rule. with
ambitions leading to war.
While the United States is reduc-
Ing its Army. however, it has not
yet done anything about reducing the
Navy or curtailins it's naval building
program. although the demand has
been made for such a curtail in Con-
gress by many of the same men
who successfully brought about a
reduction in the size of the Army
The insistence that the Navy, the
first line of defense of the country.
be maintained, still makes a large
appeal to the people. But the Sem
of Idaho. has placed in the naval ap-
preparation bill an amendment seek
ing to bring about an agreement be-
tween the three great naval powers
of today-the United States. Great
Britain and Japan-for a reduction in
naval armament. 1t does not appear
likely that this country will curtail
its naval armament unless it can
obtain an agreement with these pow
ers to do likewise. !
Standing Armies Abroad.
In connection with the reduction Of
the size of the Army in this country.
it is of some little interest to note
what the size of the standing armies
are today in other countries. The
proponents of preparedness have in
variably pointed to the sturdy repub-
lie of Switzerland. whose citizens have
always been ready to take up arms
to prevent their country's being oyer
run by the larger nations which sur
round it. And today. Switzerland has
a larger regular army than any other
nation in proportion to its size. Its
army numbers 10000 men. or 4.25
per cent of its population of 100000.
Greece stands next. with 100000 men
in it's army out of a population of
100000, or a percentage of $40.
But other nations have large forces
under arms today. Poland is credit
ed with an army of $4,000 men:
France has $4,000 in its regular
army, though it recently modified
considerably more when the question
of German reparations and the fulfill
ment by Germany of the terms of the
treaty of Versailles became a burn
ing issue. Great Britain has an army
of 425.000. including 10000 Indian
troops serving outside of India.
8olshevist Russia, it Is estimated.
has 100000 men under arms. The
figures given for the armies of the
treaty of peace, after tl.e overthrow
Of the central powers, do much to
add to the impression that Europe
today continues to be an armed camp.
Esthonia, with population of 1.2OO.-
900, has an army of $3.50 men; Lith-
uania, with a population of 100000.
has 10000 MEN in its army: Letvia,
population. 2.So5.ooo. army $4,000;
CzechoslovaEia. population 13.215.00o.
army 21S.so6.
OF the old countries, Italy has an
army of $4,000. with a population
of 36,74O,000 to draw from; Spain has
an army of 21e.s0o out of a popula-
tion Of 20,695, ,0G0.
German Army, 100000.
Germany. it appears, has the same
size standing army today that the
United States will have when the
provisions of the new army bill have
become completely effective. 100000,
with a population of 55.oS6.o00. Au-
stria, the other defeated European
power, one time An empire. has an
army of only $4,000 men. but its
population has been reduced to q
mere 100000 souls by the dismem-
berment Of the empire.
Getting nearer home, it Is found
that the standing army of Mexico
today is 10000 men, out Of popula-
of 16.00O.o00 OF the South American
republics. Brazil maintains the larg-
est regular army-37.000 men out of q
population of 22,00O, ,O0O-and Argen-
tina is second. with 22.0o0 men and q
population Of s.soo.ooo.
In the far east China looms large
with q regular army of r.3Ss.s0o men
out Of a population estimated at
100000 Japan is credited with
~ nd