EUROPEAN ARMIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18399, 17 May 1934, Page 9

EUROPEAN ARMIES

NEAR 36,000,000 GENEVA ESTIMATE GENEVA, March 31. There are 4,000,000 soldiers, equipped arid armed ready for war, guarding the frontiers of Europe, according to figures gathered in Geneva, even in time of peace. _ In time of war, another 32,000,(XL men, already trained, could be calleu to the colors. These figures cover 24 nations, winch could mobilize a total of 36,000,000, and one-ninth are already in uniform. This means that nearly 1 per cent, of the population of each European country is already bearing arms. It also means that 10 per cent, of the population could be furnished with weapons and sent to battle at short notice. The British draft disarmament convention, it may be recalled, sought to limit the peace-time strength of each leading Power to 200,000 soldiers. It is hardly likely that this figure will be accepted. Soviet Russia, according to one expert, has the largest number of men under arms of any country in the world. The Red Army strength is estimated at 1,300,000 men, which in time of war could be expanded to 7,500,0C0. ONE RER CE.NT. IN BRITAIN Soviet Russia’s peace-time strength is less than 1 per cent, of her population—479 per cent.—whereas Britain has 1 per dent under arms, France 1.5 per cent., Italy 1.0 per cent, and Czechoslovakia 1.7 per cent. France has the second largest peacetime army—6oo,ooo men —and Italy comes next with 400,000. Both these countries could call 5,000,0C0 men to the colors in time of war, it- is estimated. • The potential strength of Poland is very large. Her present strength of 300,000 men could be expanded to nearly 3,000,000 men. Although Herr Hitler’s followers make capital out of the. fact that Germany’s army is limited to 100,000 professional soldiers, representing 0.15 of the population, experts declare that in time of war Germany could call on millions of men semi-trained in Nazi organisations such as the Storm Troops. The cost of even peace establishments is enormous. France and Poland devote nearly one-third of their total Budgets to national defence. Italy spends 25 per cent, of the Budget on defence, and Britain about 15 per cent. Russia’s expenditure is estimated at 6.5 per cent. • of her total Budget: