ENSURING THAT GERMANY WILL NEVER WAGE WAR

Chronicle (Levin), 18 January 1949, Page 5

ENSURING THAT GERMANY WILL NEVER WAGE WAR

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter. (

Western Powers Set Up Board

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•* Received Tuesday, 11 a.m. BERLIN, January 17. The Western Powers have set up a three-man "MilitaTy Security Board" to ensure that Germany can never again use its resources for aggressive purposes. The board will take over the demilitarisation functions of the Allied Control Council, which the Russians wrecked by their withdrawal. It will send inspection teams throughout Western Germany to enf'orce the disarmament orders. The establishment of the board was ordered by the Western Governments after the Six-Nation London conference on the future of Germany.

It was stated in Berlin that the board's powers will be wider than those of the International Ruhri Authority. Its functions are plan- j ned to continue in one form or an- j other after the occupation ends. The three commissioners con- 1 trolling the board must be military ! officers. Its first commissioners are I Major-General James Hodges, • Di- . rector of the United States Military Government armed forces division, Major-General Westropp, British Deputy Chief of Staff, and S General Etienne Paskiewicz, Chief j of the Prench Disarmament ! Branch in Germany. The directive setting up the board states that it will recommend to the Military Governors the measures necessary to: Firstly, prevent a revival of military or paramilitary organis-

ations, and of a militaristic spirit. Secondly, ensure that there shall be no manufacture or import of i any arms, war materials or any ; prohibited materials. i Thirdly, ensure that any military ; buildings, structures, laboratories | and all shipyards and factories j capable of producing armaments, which may be retained, are used for peaceful purposes only. Fourthly, ensure that scientjific research is not directed to warlike ; ends. | Fifthly, ensure that in connec- | tion with the construction and ' operation of merchant shipping, and the operation of civil airlines, no war potential is created. The board's inspectors will be empowered to look at all plants and establishments without necessarily giving prior notice to the management of the plants.