DEFENCE OF FRANCE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20010, 19 August 1930, Page 11

DEFENCE OF FRANCE.

FEARS OF ATTACK STILL POTENT. GERMAN GENERAI/S BOOK. 'tfKITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —BY KLZOZBXC TEUtGBAPH—COPTBIOHT.) (Received August 18th, 7.50 p.m.) PARIS, August 18. The publication of General von Seeckt's book in which the Chief of Staff of the German Army outlines plans for the noxt war against France has resulted in anxious discussions which revealed that the fear of a German attack is still potent in France, despite the virtual disarming of Germany. Though there iB every necessity for economy in the public finances, M. Maginot, the War Minister, admits that it is impossible to cut down militray expenses as it is essential to maintain the strength of the professional army. M. Maginot added: "Indeed our covering force is no longer sufficient, as it is difficult ta see, in event of a sudden attack, how we can prevent an enemy from invading our territory while our reserves are being mobilised." M. Maginot proposes to hasten the completion of the frontier defences, and thus be able to hold up any invading forces. Some time ago dispatches from, Paris to the American newspapers indicated that France had begun to cut down the number of soldiers with the colours, though she was actually spending more money on them. One year military service was now effective. There will be 400,000 men in the new French army, as against 510,000 at present, who were called up under a service of eighteen months. But although the army will be smaller, experts think it will be as formidable aB a larger army organised under a two years' service law. This is due to science and organisation. The new army of 400,000 men will contain only half as many conscripts as formerly, but will have 106,000 professional soldiers, officers, non-coms, and "old-timers," besides the 35,000 cviilians for routine work. This . staff of disciplined soldiers, permanently engaged in training the youth of France, is counted on to turn the trick of doing in a year what once required seven years. Beginning in. 1935 there will be a slump in tho number of conscripts for five years when boys born during the war, when the birthrate was very low, will be called to the colours. Modern subterranean fortifications, machine guns, motorised artillery, mass automobile transportation, the army of the air and other resources of science and invention, mulv tiply the strength of the lessened manpower. Intensive training will put the, men in fighting trim. Instead of keeping. books, sweeping out barracks ,or peeling potatoes, the "blues," as conscripts are called, will 'put in their twelve months learning the essentials < of war.