Evening star., 1929-12-01
PARIS REORGAN|zES
ARMY FOR DEFENSE
France Acts to Stay Fears
Over Reported Inferiority
20 German Forces.
BY PAUL SCOTT MO NRER.

inferiority of the French army to the
German army, as outlined exclusively
in these dispatches on october IL, has
aroused such concern here that the
government is taking immediate meas
ures to remedy the situation.
The. whole truth never has been told
to the French public because the popu-
lar fears engendered by the sufferinss
of the World War are considered to be
still too acute. and the authorities de-
sire to avoid provoking sentiments that
might result in panic. Moreover
Frances policy now is based on
friendly rapprochement and collabora- l.
ton which Germany and another
Franco-German war certainly is not eX-
pected.
Therefore the French press, at the
governments suggestion, has consistent
ly worked toward intimidation OF
both Frances decline and Germany S
rise in military power But in spite OF
the assuring statements by French
statesmen, those fully converSant with
the French military situation are lar
from satisfied.
MaginOt Decides on Course.
Gen. Maginot. the new minister OF
var. therefore has decided to take three
immediate steps-firSt, the reorganlza-
tion of French covering forces, which
now are considered theoretically un-
equal to meet any possible German at
methods of training reCruit-and, third,
the organization of new scheme OF
mobile Notifications on the Franco
German frontier at cost OF nearly
Si.500000.
1t is quite certain that neither the
government nor the nation would ap-
proySM these steps and this expense
unless considered necessary for reasons
of prudence These forti1cations will in
no way resemble old-fashioned forts,
but will represent the latest and most
scientific ideas in mobile defense.
BeIgians Leave Rhine.
The last Belgian troops left the
Rhineland, according to schedule, TO-
dsv. The British will be gone soon, and
If as now expected, the Young plan is
accepted in January by al the govern
ments interested, even the French
troops will have been withdrawn COM
pletely by next June.
There is considerable confidence here
in the League of Nations, in the KEEL
loeg peace treaty and in the LoCarno
pact. There is even more confidence in
the fact that France and Germany
gradually will evolve an economic and
even a political partnership so close
that hostilities will be out OF the ques-
ton.
Meanwhile, France has had such ter
rible experiences that the army will be
reorganized and the setting up of de-
fenSes begun at once.
Revelations made october IL, brleny,
were as follows:
First, the French Army had been cut
to half the pre-war size.
Second. the material was antiquated
and the training and morale OF the
covering force behind which mobiliza-
ton could be effected were imperfect.
Third Germany, despite the fact of
,theoreticsh disarmament, possesses swift,
mobile, well trained. well equipped
forces ready for immediate offensive ac-
ton. 4 ~&s ts' aH
Europe Is Aroused.
These revelations aroused consider
able interest in European military
circles. The German ministry of de-
Tense on November 6 made an informal
denial Of all these aforesaid revelations.
The Germans said that the French
army was still superior and the Ger
man conclusions were that Germany
iS disarmed. Hence Germany feels that
France and other countries should also
thoroughly disarm. After renewed in
quiries in authoritative quarters, both
French and non-French, the writer is
enabled to renew his previous asser-
tons. The French army now con-
sists Of $50, men instead of 900 900
as before the war. OF these 10000
are on colonial service. Most of them
could not be brought to France in case
Of war because they would be needed
in the colonies for police duty and
because they would take considerable
time to transport, even those that
AA
only 900, 900 troops in France.
OF these, only 10000 would be
available for immediate defense of the
frontiers. The other 10000 either
would need additional training, or
would have to be utilized with recruits
requiring additional training, so that
they would not be available for several
weeks. The French army has much
equipment, but 1t now is antiQuated,
even as far as the aviation service is
concerned. In short, the equipment
with which France ended the war still
is in use.
The policy of the ministry of war,
however, seems to be rather to ex-
pertinent and so to plan the latest
models of new weapons SO that they
could be manufactured at once in case
of war, rather than to buy the whole
equipment now considered modern, but
which might be superseded in a few
years hence.
German Strength Put at 50O,O0
This being the French situation, what
Is the German situation2 OF course
il is difncult TO say exactly what 1t is,
but the writer has reason to believe
that the information available here is
fairly accurate. The Reichswehr is
nominally 100000, but probably really
125,ooo. The SchutZwehr, although
called police, is military organization.
living in barracks and receiving mill
tary training and it is said to be al
most exactly like the Reichswehr. 1t
is also said that about 200, 900 men
who have been released from the Reich
Swehr and the Schutzwehr after four
or f1ve years of training could imme-
diately be reabsorbed into the ranks
fully equipped, so that the force i'm
mediately available to Germany in case
of war is estimated to be between 400
900 and 100000 men.
But even IL these calculations are
wrong and the German covering force
Is only 100000 men, 1t is doubtful
whether the French covering force of
only 10000 Is sufficient to Withstand
man Army lacks heavy artillery it is
true, but it is organized entirely for
speed.
Plans Are Kept in Factories.
II tactics having speed are success
Ful, no heavy artillery would be needed
because it could not keep up anyway
The German infantry regiments have
more machine guns than have the
regiments of other armies and even have
their own trench mortars and field bat
teries, which move right with the regi'
ment.
Training for the Tank and Anti-air.
craft Ht1n CornS fS done with WOQdRY