ARMY TO GO

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 25, 31 January 1933, Page 7

ARMY TO GO

DECISION OF MONACO

TOTAL DISARMAMENT

Disarmament, a matter of talk among other nations at Geneva, is about to become an actuality, for the little principality'of Monaco, and total disarmament at that, says the."San Francisco Chronicle." Maurice Bouilloux-Lafont, French Miuister of State of this 370-aore domain, has decided that the Mouagesgue army, among 250 strong, shall be gradually disbanded—as a matter of economy. - . . ■ : , ■ With their red and white plumed helmets and elaborate uniforms, the carabinicrs—the only army Monaco has—long have delighted visitors. Their chief function has been ' to guard the palace of Prince Louis 11, who rarely "is at home. They made themselves particularly useful in, December of 1930, when, in full strength, they camped at the foot of the. long stairs to the Prince's castle, checking rioting, which had marked the return from, one of his absences. Considering that Monaco is surrounded by France, its protector, on all but the Mediterranean side, there is little question about its security against in-, vasion, except by tourists, who .have been none too' numerous lately. Furthermore, Monte Carlo is one of the best police;! cities in Europe, with a force that has little. difficulty keeping order among its 24,927 inhabitants. CHOSEN BY PEANCE. M. Bouilloux-Lafont, • 57-year-old banker and" son. of a, banker, as wellas a former Vice-President of the French Chamber of Deputies, virtually runs affairs in Monaco as Minister of State, so he speaks with considerable authority when he says the army is doomed. He -was nominated by France last summer as a sort of "efficiency man" to put things right in Monaco, where political and financial affairs have Seen troublesome. Prince Louis', regarded by some as a better soldier than politician—he holds the rank of Brigadier-General in the French army—acquiesced and went off to his travels, for he rarely spends more than three or four months of the year in his domain. Bouilloux-Lafont took charge in July, and soon had gained, considerable popularity by quick and firm decisions. It was also largely through his efforts that the French Government recently agreed to pay Monaco £.116,000 retroactively under an old Customs agreement, and' give it an annuity of £30,000. In addition to his job as "head man" of Monaco and its financial expert, M. Bouilloux-Lafont has assumed the handling of Monaco's . relationships with .foreign Powers. In his limited spare time he devotes himself to reading and .writing. He does-not gamble at the Casino. t