MENACE OF WAR IN THE AIR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20065, 23 March 1935, Page 17

MENACE OF WAR IN THE AIR

REPLY TO GERMANY’S POLICY INCREASE IN VOTES FOR AIR FORCES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, March 21. General Denain, Minister for Air, speaking the Chamber of Deputies, explaining the Government’s Bill to provide a further £25,000,000 for the Air Force, said it aimed at bringing up the total strength to the desired level as early as possible in 1936, and would enable the number of planes to be raised from 1100 to 1500. Special attention would be paid to heavy bombing planes. Germany’s air development made it clear that France could not wait longer before increasing her Air Force. Germany’s War Preparation M. Maurin, Minister of War, told the Army Commission of the Chamber of Deputies that the Germany Army will shortly number 720,000 while 70 per cent, of the German factories were making war material. The construction of machine guns continued night and day in four shifts. Synthetic petrol factories had all been recently enlarged and were turning out the maximum, and huge stocks of war stores were being formed. Moreover Germany is turning out fifteen aeroplanes daily. France's Counter-Measures An official communique says: M. Maurin declared that France must keep 260,000 men constantly with the colours. He promised to develop motorised formation and intensify the manufacture of armaments, involving increased estimates in 1935 and in subsequent years.

According to a deputy M. Maurin detailed the French preparations to meet the situation. He said contingents would now occupy the principal strategic points of the frontier defence scheme. Troops would be drawn for it, partly from the interior garrisons, and partly from the frontier, where a watch was no longer necessary owing to the international situation. FEVERISH ACTIVITY IN AVIATION FACTORIES WORKING AT TOP SPEED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 22, 7 p.m.) LONDON, March 22. The Paris correspondent of “The Daily Mail says; “The war ’plane factories 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 General Denain’s three-year plan to renovate the Air Army by the end of 1936. A new and additional grant of £22,000,000 will be spent to enable the completion of the plan by the end of 1935, providing between 4000 and 5000 fighters and bombers. MOCK AIR RAID GERMANY’S AMAZING PREPARATION United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 21. Mr Ward Price, writing to “The Daily Mail” from Germany, says: “The Berlin air raid rehearsal was the most elaborate ever carried out, 50,000 residents participating in deadly earnest. Sirens blared simultaneously with the appearance of the air raiders; traffic stopped; everyone rushed to the underground shelters, deserting trains and buses. Maroons were exploded, representing bombs. Every kind of rescue service was engaged—police, fire, ambulance, anti-poison gas, water and gas main repair squads, housebreaking gangs rescuing victims trapped in the ruins of houses and schools. “Bomb craters” appeared in the streets, from which flames and water spurted from burst pipes. Asbestos-clad masked squads rushed to extinguish the gas fires, others working knee-deep in water repairing the mains. Scores of “wounded” were carried into the streets with “ghastly wounds,” bare limbs increasing the realism. Steelhelmeted children raced to the fire stations to report homes ablaze. Foreign air attaches were specially impressed with the people’s magnificent discipline and the vast amount of anti-air raid equipment available, contrasting with the smaller supplies of other capitals. Hollywood could not have excelled the dramatic perfection of the picture of the air raid which Kreuzberg presented. It was impossible to imagine a corresponding area in London similarly isolated for 31 hours.