Evening star., 1928-06-10
$1OO,OOO,OOO BULWARKS
WILL PROTECT FRANCE
Belgium, Too, Turns Toward Attention
to Protection From IncursiOns
From the East.

10 ueplOy large dIIIllco II lNSJ ItSpSCUtu
Belgian neutrality.
For Belgium, as for France, the real
question of security turns on the de-
fensive organization of the triangle Of
which Liege and Namur in Belgium and
Givet in France are the points. 1t de-
pends upon the successful defense OF
the west bank of the Meuse River be-
tween Holland and France. Unless they
can break through this narrow gap, the
Germans cannot really threaten either
Brussels or Paris.
In 1914 the Belgians undertook to de-
fend this line, resting their operations
on the fortresses Of Liege and Namur
Their purpose was TO hold on until the
French and British came TO their aid.
The Germans came faster and the Bel
gians were compelled to retire into Ant
Werp. where they we're shut up and mar
rowly escaped capture. The Antwerp
forts we're destroyed and the futility
of the system of defense exposed.
Thus in any new conflict Belgium,
now no longer neutral territory and
an ally of France. would certainly CO.
ordinate her mobilization and opening
operations with the French, and
French armies would certainly be
pushed up into Belgian territory very
early in the period Of concentration.
al duulCiOiis DSiSiuHl Has tidbCAAohJ
enlarged her army which would now
mobilize 10000 strong instead of
117,000 as in 1914. But Belgian mo-
bilization. like French, requires some
frontier barrier behind which to func-
ton. And for Belgium this barrier IS
the fortress towns of Liege and Namur.
Frances Standing Army.
France. having reduced her period OF
service from three years TO one, would
have available as standing army not
more than 100000 troops against nearly
100000 IA years ago. Since she con-
tinues to train all her youth. however,
she would have about the same number
Of soldiers available as in the last strug-
gle. She would also be able TO draw
heavily upon her North African estab-
lishmentS, as she did in 1914.
But the new French program Is not
concerned with the German frontier
alone. Work will begin In the south
along the Italian boundary at the same
time. Here in a sense the need is
more pressing. Between France and
Italy there have been recurring periods
of tension. Less than two years ago
all France was stirred by the report
that Fascist militia we're gathering on
Italian territory not far from Nice and
that there was a real prospect Of an
attempt to seize this town by a coup
de main.
The French hurriedly sent an addi-
tional army corps to this regian and
put the forts and defenses in condi-
ton. Last Autumn the troops were
withdrawn, as the danger seemed over
| From this experience the French drew
the lesson that 1t was necessary to have
modern system Of defense at the
Italian frontier.
1t Is amusing. in the face OF these
facts. TO recall that at the outset Of the
| World War there was a general dispo-
sition to regard the day OF the fortress
as over. The quick fall Of both Liege
and Namur, the relatively weak re-
sistance Of Mauberge. the abandonment
by the French Of all their elaborate
second-line works from Rheims to La
Fere led to the conclusion that the day
Of the fort had passed due to mobile
heavy artillery and airplane observation.
Illusion Destroyed.
The Verdun campaign destroyed tl,ls
illusion. The value of the forts on the
heights OF the Meuse. not primarily Us
cover for heavy artillery. but as centerS
Tor the storing Of munitions, supplies
and reserves was quickly demonstrated
and the tremendous struggle aboot
| Verdun actually resolved itself into the
battle for the possession Of the fort:
OF which Douaumont, Vaux and Sou
vile were the striking examples.
The new systems Of defense will be
far less elaborate than the old. much
nearer 70 the principles Of the Hinden-
burg line than to those which were
applied on the German side TO Metz
EApaFfnh To -
idea OF a town surrounded by a ring of
outlying forts was demonstrated TO be
unsound. On the other hand, the value
OF more or less continuous bands OF
fortified ground was disclosed. and the
war OF positions came TO stay until the
collapse OF German reserves opened the
way to the penetration OF these fortified
areas.
The most expensive problems for the
French are going TO come with the organ
lzation OF the frontier from the Meuse
TO the Channel. that is, south OF the
Belgian frontier. In 1914 their single
fortress was Mauberge and its defenSeS
were already obsoiete. For part Of this
possible 10 resort TO inundation. but
even so. there remain long stretches
which must be fortified.
Ever since the war there has been an
unending discussion OF the form the
next conflict would take. II has been
asserted that IL would be primarily I'm
the air 1t has been argued that the
use OF poison gases would lead 10 an
limitation. But We have now clear
evidence OF what the French soldier
thinks. And We had something like
the "a ne German Judgment disc,osed
oy tne German constructions on their
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