STRENGTH IN WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 87, 12 April 1940, Page 5

STRENGTH IN WAR.

NORTHERN STATES.

DENMARK'S SMALL ARMY.

FIGHT FOR NEUTRALITY.

Xorway and Sweden have not known a war for over 100 years, Denmark for over 70. The prime force which helped them lo keep out of war until the last few days was the habit of peace.

The Scandinavian Xorth, like Groatl Britain, has been disillusioned by all that has happened since 1919; the tender hopes of the first post-war years were dashed. Even the League of Nations, in whose interests the Northern democracies sacrificed the cherished principle of absolute neutrality, was robbed of its spiritual content.

The Munich agreement came as a tremendous shock. At first the bulk of public opinion acclaimed Mr. Chamberlain as the great peacemaker, but when it was seen that. British concessions had not the slightest effect on the manners and methods of the German Government, the critics of British policy gained the chief hearing. Critics of Great Britain. They had a fairly easy task. Scandinavian public opinion has always looked upon Great Britain as the natural and inevitable defender of the rights of small nations; and, less ideally, it wasj instinctively realised that the safety of Denmark, Sweden an<l Norway de|K>mhtl largely upon the determination of the British people to maintain the balance of power in Kurope.

The critics declared that this principle was 'being abandoned; that Great Britain was surrendering her leadership not only in Europe but in the world; |and that the British Government, by

misunderstanding the real aims of the Third Reich, was allowing the democratic case to go by default. This viewwas assiduously fostered by German propaganda.

Under such circumstances it was obvious that the Scandinavian North would find it difficult to maintain its neutrality. The Danish Government believed that safety was to be attained by invisibility, and that if only Denmark was completely inconspicuous nothing could happen to her. Therefore as little as possible should be said about German pressure on Denmark, and the Press must be "moderate' , in criticising German policy. National defence, in so far as it might prove irritating to the German Government, should not be discussed.

Denmark's Non-resistance. The chief danger of this policy was that the Danish people might be so hypnotised by their own helplessness as to swallow the doctrine of nonresistance hook, line and sinker. However, most Danish Conservatives, and some Socialists, held a different view. While they were far from anti-German, they ruefully admitted that the chief danger to Denmark, morally and materially, came from the south.

The Danish national army k capable of mustering a total force of 60.000. The Air Force consists of 65 machines, while the navy comprises two coast defence vessel, five fishery patrol boats, three minesweepers, 17 torpedo boats, three minelayers and eight submarine*. It is possible that additional minesweepers arfd submarines have recently Ibeen completed. As an auxiliary to the navy, 35 aircraft are in service. Swedish Policy. The Swedish Socialist Government, under pressure of international events, abandoned their disarmament policy and ajrreed to a substantial increase in! defence expenditure. I,ast year about f'i.ooo.ooo was spent in storing essential supplies, such a.s coal, fuel oil. nonferrous metals and raw materials for the textile industry—all of which have to I* , imported.

The Swedish 10.19 10 Rtidget continued national defence expenditure at a fairly high level, while the Russian invasion of Finland induced feverish activity, with large-scale purchasing of armaments from abroad.

A month after the outbreak of the war Sweden could muster eight light battleships (Germany at that time had five , ,, four cruisers (Germany 10); 16 destroyers (Germany 31), 14 submarines (Germany about 50), one aircraft carrier (Germany two —under construction); 24 patrol boat* (Germany 14).

The Swedish Navy is thus not so terrifically inferior to the German, though the German ships are more modern and faster, and have been increased during the past six months. It is agreed anions experts, however, that the Swedish ships have been kept in magnificent condition, that the Bofore guns they carry are among the best in the world, and that the Swedish sailors know how to handle

them. The Swedish Army has a total strength, including reserves, of about 575.000 men. based on a system of universal service aided by voluntary enlistment. The Air Force consists of five flotillas in one flying school, but it is probable that the 340 aircraft which were stated to be in service at the end of last year have been increased by [recent purchases.

Norway's Defences. In Norway the Socialist Government agreed last year to spend about £2,500,000 on national defence over a period of three years, the money to be raised by loans. Almost half of this went on the purchase of essential supplies, including coal, grain and sugar, so that armament expenditure in the' strict sense of the term accounted for' only slightly over £1,300,000. Plans for the evacuation of Oslo were prepared. However, in Norway the Opposition has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the defence measures, and there have been stormy debates in the Storting.

The peace-time strength of the Norwegian army, under compulsory service. !is estimated at 40.000. with 315.000 j reserves. The navy i* a small one. designed almost exclusively for coastal defence duties. It is possible, howe.er. that six destroyers, two minesweepers and a torpedo boat were recently con-, structed to swell the existing fleet of about 56 small craft, which already included nine submarines. The air force .consists of 50 Ggaplanea,