ARMS RACE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1935, Page 7

ARMS RACE

GERMANS ACTIVE WORKING NIGHT AND DAY AEROPLANES AND GUNS FRANCE’S INFORMATION ARMY TO NUMBER 720,000 By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Paris, March 21. General Maurin, Minister of War, told the Chamber of Deputies’ army commission that the German army would shortly number 720,000, while 70 per cent, of German factories were making war material. The construction of machineguns was being continued night and day in four shifts, synthetic petrol factories were all recently enlarged and were turning out their maximum, and huge stocks of war stores were being formed. Moreover, Germany was producing 15 aeroplanes a day. General Maurin declared that France must keep 260,000 men constantly with the colours, states a communique. He promised to develop motorised army units and to intensify the manufacture of- armaments, involving increased estimates for 1935 and the following years. According to a deputy General Maurin detailed the French preparations to meet the situation. He said contingents were now occupying the principal strategic pointe of the frontier defence scheme. Troops were drawn for the purpose partly from, the interior garrisons and partly from the frontier where a watch was no longer necessary owing to the international situation. General Baistrocchi, speaking on the Italian army estimates, said the Government had decided to reduce the period of military service, says a Rome cable. The only question was > when was the propitious tirr”. The present moment, he added, was unsuitable for either a reduction in • service or a dispersal of the classes, which is interpreted to mean that the 1913 class will be retained with the colours, while the 1914 class will be called up within a few days, resulting in 440,000 men being mobilised within a year. FRENCH AERIAL FLEET MILLIONS EXPENDITURE 4000 TO 5000 FIGHTERS Rec. 7 p.m. London, March 21. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail says war plane factories in France are working at top speed following the Air Commission’s approval of the Government’s plans to increase the air strength. Already £28,000,000 has been spent under M. Denain’s three-year plan to renovate the air army by the end of 1936. Now an additional £22,000,000 is to be spent, enabling the completion of the plan by the end of 1935, providing between 4000 and 5000 fighters and bombers.