The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-30
so MILLIONS
UNDER ARMS
PERIL PEACE
Huge Forces Are Held in
Readiness by Europe If
Strife Comes.
LEAGUE FACES GRIEF
Crisis ImpendS as World
Leaders Prepare to Meet
in Geneva.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINTMS
scripps- Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-Witt
100000 men already under arms
and more being trained every day
and in the face of a world which
again is talking of another war viz
tually as an assured thing, repre-
sentatives Of the United States and
League Of Nations will meet mex
week at Geneva, to see what, if any
thing, can be done to head off the
danger.
The league assembly last month
considered the situation too strained
to risk setting a specific date for ar
arms conference. 1t did instruct its
preparatory commission, charged
with arranging for such conference
however, to meet on Nov. 6 and
make a survey.
But today such is the mood in
which Europe and the rest of the
globe finds itself, that fear is ex-
pressed openly that little, if any
practical good can come of the
meeting.
Armies Are Huge
The main difficulty is not with
the fleets, but with the armies and
the air forces.
Total naval personnel OF all the
five principal sea powers number
less than 100000 men, whereas the
standing arms of these same coun-
tries add up to about 100000 men,
not counting trained reserves.
According to the records, France
heads the list with a standing army
totaling GOT, 900 soldiers. Russia is
second, with $4,000; Italy third,
with 100000, and Britain a close
fourth, with $4,000.
Poland comes fifth, with 255,000,
and Japan sixth, with 100000.
Rpmania and Switzerland are, re-
spectively, seventh and eighth, with
the United States and Czecho-Slo-
vakia practically tying for ninth
place, with about 10000 men.
Millions Are Trained
These figures, however, give little
idea of the real story. With the
exception of America, Britain and
Germany, all the principal powers
have colossal numbers of conscriptS,
trained reserves, so many that, as
indicated above, all the nations
combined could throw upward OF
3O.OOO.OO0 drilled soldiers into the
field very soon after mobilization.
1t is this titanic problem that the
American and other delegations will
tackle next week at Geneva. They
are going to try to report to the
league, and to America, how 1t may
be solved.
And though it is not believed that
the technical side of it offers any
insurmountable obstacle, it is feared
that. given the present hectic state
of the world, the leading powers
will not want to disarm. Fearing
war. most OF them will prefer to
wait and see.
MussOlini Waves Sword
AS if the outlook we're not black
enough already, Dictator Mussolini
has chosen this week to explode
with another fighting speech pre-
dieting war.
Germany Fascists continue to
threaten the Treaty of Versailles, to
restore GerEeaAJ'5 pre-war frontiers
France is building the greatest
chain of military defenses along her
eastern borders the world ever has
seen. and Russia again is fulminat-
ing against the capitalist powers.
Poland, Augustria, Yugo Slavla
Hungary and the rest are involved
in the general unrest. and Britain
is afraid for India, Egypt and her
far-hung interests.
The United States, it seems, will
be the only great, comparatively
uninvolved power represented at
Geneva.