DISARMING EUROPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18135, 6 July 1922, Page 7

DISARMING EUROPE.

PLAN BEFORE THE LEAGUE. FIXED SCALE FOR ARMIES. MUTUAL DEFENCE PACT. GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITATION. By Telegraph—Pros* Association—Copyright. (Received 6.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. PARIS. July 4, Lord Robert Cecil's draft treaty for the limitation of armaments, which is being discussed by tho Mixed Armaments Commission of the League of Nations, provides that:— Firstly, no reduction proposal shall be effective unless it has general application. Secondly, no Government shall be responsible for reduction of armaments on a large scale unless it is guaranteed territorial security, which is only possible by a defensive alliance, hence—

Thirdly, all interested countries shall pledge aid to each other in case of attack, the obligation being limited to countries in the'same part of the globe as the country attacked. Fourthly, special measures shall be taken to defend any country that runs special risks owing to geographical or historical reasons. Fifthly, the foregoing resolutions depend on reduction of armaments in conformity with a pre-established scale, and effective machinery shall be created to ensure the establishment and maintenance of such reduction. Lord Robert Cecil, replying to questions, tentatively accepted Lord Esher's proposals as a complement to his scheme. Lord Esher fixes 30,000 men as a military unit and proposes that the armies of European nations shall be fixed on tho following scale:— Units. Total. Belgium . . .. 2 60,000 Czechoslovakia . . 3 90,000 Denmark . . . . 2 60,000 France . . . . 6 180,000 Great Britain . . 3 90,000 Greeco . . . . 4 120,000 Italy . . . . 4 120,000 Holland .. . . 3 90,000 Norway . , . . 2 60,000 Poland . . . . 4 120,000 Portugal . . . . 1 30,000 Rumania . . . . 3 90,000 Sweden . . . . 2 60,000 ' Spain . . „. 3 90,000 Switzerland . . 2 60,000 Yugoslavia .. 3 90,000 The military forces of Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Bulgaria are already fixed by the peace treaties as under:— Total. Germany 100,000 Austria 30,000 Hungcry 35,000 Bulgaria 20,000 It is proposed that the reduction to the suggested figures be made within six months, and shall operate for ten years.