RUSSIA’S FEARS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18956, 5 March 1936, Page 9

RUSSIA’S FEARS

WAR IN THREE YEARS IMMENSE WAR BUDGET LONDON, Feb. 25. Within three years the Russian Red Army expects to have to light- Germany, and, believing that Britain and France will also be fighting Germany in the same war, it expects to be victorious, declares the Aloscow correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. After that, Moscow foresees an epoch of disorder in Europe, something like the 30 Years War, with the breakdown of national government in central Europe, and a reaction against revolution. with anybody fighting anybody, and the British and Russian systems probably alone surviving. Moscow is reported fo be less sure of the future in the Ear East, while allot her Russo-Japanese duel is regarded as ultimately inevitable. Russia’s prodigious effort in fortifying the Baikal and Vladivostok regions has, it is believed, turned the Japanese thrust southwestwards, but Aloscow cannot imagine Tokio missing a chance of taking Vladivostok when Germany strikes eastwards. The correspondent declares that these beliefs explain telie present- suspension of class-war tactics inside Russia and the attempt- to conciliate the peasants. ARMY GLORIFIED The Government newspapers are plastered daily with pictures of the army at work and play. The Red conscript, is, relatively, a happy warrior. He is subjected to an iron, but not vexatious, discipline, and although the system of training! is quite as rigid as that in the old Tsarist army, Red officers tire protested against political intrigue. They live proper military status, with fixed ranks and a regular system of promotion. 'They cannot be cashiered except by a verdict of the courtmartial confirmed by the Supreme Command. No other army enjoys such favourable living conditions in comparison with the civil population. Soviet leaders are now more inclined to give information of State armaments, but the figures are only percentages of increases and not absolute figures. Thus, in the years 1931 to 1934. tankettes increased by 2475 per cent, light- tanks by 760 per cent, medium tanks by 792 per cent, heavy artillery by 240 per cent, anti-tank guns l>v 450 per cent, machineguns for tanks and aeroplanes by 700 per cent, aeroplanes, by 300 per cent, submarine bv 535 per cent. The growth oi the Russian armament in 1935 was even faster. The quality of arms and ammunition is improving. Already the immense war Budget of 1935 has been doubled for 1936, reaching 592 millions sterling. GROWTH OF ARMY By the end of 1935 Russia already had 1.300,000 men of arms. This includes all actually serving iti the forces, but not specially selected troops, which account for another 120.000. The proportion. of fully-trained effectives is increasing! daily. "Russia probably has at least 6,000,000 men of military age who have done at least two years’ full conscriploin serpice. and millions of lightly-trained territorial divisions and millions taught to shoot and march by the official League of Aviation and Chemical Defence.

The correspondent is of the opinion, however, that the army is not yet ready to attempt an offensive war against n first-class Power like Japan.