GERMANY AND ARMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 111, 10 April 1934, Page 7

GERMANY AND ARMS

BRITAIN MAKING INQUIRIES. THE INCREASED ESTIMATES. QUESTIONS IN COMMONS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official AVireless.) Received April 10, 10.45 a.m. RUGBY, April 9.

When the House of Commons reassembled after the Easter recess this afternoon the first business was a series of questions addressed to the Foreign Secretary (Sir John Simon) and the Prime Minister (Mr Ramsay MacDonald) relating to the armaments situation.

Replying to a question regarding the increase in the German naval and military estimates, Sir John Simon said the German estimates for 1934 revealed the following increases as compared with those of 1933 (all Reichsmarks) : Navy estimates, 233,000,000, an increase of 50,000,000; army, 647,000,000, an increase of 175,000,000; Air Ministry, 210,000,000, an increase of 132,000,000.” “His Majesty’s Government is giving very serious consideration to this matter, and I have instructed the British Ambassador - at Berlin to make inquiries of the German Government on the subject,” said Sir John. He added that lie expected to receive a communication during the present week.

Replying to 'a further question regarding the speech recently made by General Goering at Potsdam, Sir John said he did not think that had any bearing on the actual question on paper. The Foreign Secretary was then asked what action, in view _ of these projected German increases in armament expenditure, the British _ Government intended to take t-o avoid the breakdown of the Disarmament Conference.

He replied that Mr R. A. Eden was attending a meeting of the Conference Bureau at Geneva to-morrow and any statement on the subject must necessarily await the outcome of this meeting. The Prime Minister was asked whether the increases in the German estimates would cause the British Government to augment immediately the Royal Air Force to a one Power standard. He replied that, while the matter was receiving the careful consideration of the Government, he could add nothing at the present moment to the statement on air policy made by Mr Stanley Baldwin on March 8. THE AVAR NIGHTMARE. GERMANY’S REARMAMENT. AUSTRIA ALSO PREPARING. AVhile London, Paris and Rome discuss whether Germany should be allowed to increase her armaments, figures relating to military expenditure in the 1934-35 German budget speak the hard language of facts, says the Berlin correspondent of the London Times.

The writing is on the wall —or. perhaps. “the writing is on the sky’ would be a more apt expression, in view of the startling air estimates, continues the writer.

It is hard to imagine that discusssions can be longer protracted in the present atmosphere of unreality. Germany is fulfilling her threat to act on her own initiative if other nations will not grant in practice the equality which they, have admitted in principle. The German air estimates show a most spectacular increase. They have risen from £2,200,000 in 1932-33 to £10,500,000. Not a single line of foreign comment has appeared in the German Press.

WHY AUSTRIA IS ARMING

Austria is arming because everyone in Central Europe is expecting war, and believes that its outbreak is only a matter of time, reports the special correspondent of the Manchester Guardian in Austria. The new Austrian social order, based on clericalism, which _ re pi aced democracy when the Socialists were defeated, is precariously established. Its instability is increased owing to militarisation.

The granting of equality to Germany has stimulated open and surreptitious arming throughout Central Europe, especially among the disarmed countries, which are not only arming against each other, but are organising armed partisan forces everywhere. Indeed, armed force or the threat of it is becoming the chief political determinant. HETEROGENEOUS ARRAY OF FORCES. Austria has a particularly diverse array of heterogeneous forces. In addition to her army of 12-year servioemen, of whom 30,000 are permitted under the treaty of St. Germain, but which is 8000 under strength, she possesses Heimwelir numbering 60,000, including the Sturmscharen, which is a clerical organisation with Royalist leanings, but probably. pro-Gov-ernment'; also 7000 gendarmerie. At least 100,000 —more than three times the treaty quota—are under arms —a prdtligious force in a population of 6,500,000. Moreover, the Government is now militarising youth with a view to maintaining the Sturmscaren. It will also bring its regulars to full strength, although permitted last year to recruit 8000 short-term auxiliaries to meet the German concentrations on the frontier. But it cannot be sure of the loyalty of any forces except the Sturmscharen, as the regulars in the February fighting were relucant to fire on their fellow-citizens.