NEW GERMAN ARMY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 7

NEW GERMAN ARMY

I "Advertising -for volunteer." ! As announced recently by the GfriiJtm i Government l:y wirule-ss' Ore li'ipci'iiii Le(fence Bill Inw passed its second rending ; in the National Assembly at_ 'Weimar... During the second n ndinjr debate, lierr Seliopflin (Social Democrat) said: "The j propusal is. a makeshift. It aims at the ; calling up of those liable for service -to I create a military power for the time bc r i ing. It: represents '.lie cruel irony of I fate'that the State which was once the I strongest' military Power in the world ! and which'first introduced RDiioral con- ! scription, is ■ now compelled to call for j volunteers by means of advertisements ' in the newspapers. Officers ought to have i learned from the events since the.revolution thnt they will..have to do-with-out much which probably was very agreeable to them. The old duty of saluting is evidently impossible, neither is it to be desired.' The present Bill is urgently necessary, as it .is-impossible that the present condition of things should continue further, namely, that Polish, Czech, anil other bands should threaten the Imperial frontier, or that fanatics and a lew criminals .should set up a reign of terror. I hope therefore that ..sufficient men will \omnteer." ) Herr Jiaree'co (German National) said: "The breakdown of the o'd army is profoundly painful to us. It-was the best army in the world We shall never forget it and its'aohievemehts in this war." Herr Henke (Independent) said: "Wo oppose tho Bill. It is a question of crushing donn' the advancing revolutionary forces. The Bill is a partial re-: vivul of militarism, and that is why wo oppose it" Herr Noske, the Imperial Defence Minister, s-aid: "For the Government, with half its members composed of Social Democrats, it must certainly: be extremely undesirable that one of its iirst measures ahould bo directed towards the setting up of a liew strong military forco and of directing power against its own compatriots. But with the institution of tins law it is hoped that more unity in military affairs will commence. It would be criminal. fm'uiity were, tlio Government not to protect the East Prussian' frontier which is threatened by thn Bolsheviki. Thti proposed strong Imperial Defence force will, if we are very lucky, not be one-third of the strength of the old army. Foreign countries have therefore no reason to feel any mistrust." Herr Assinann (German People's Party) said: "Nut much will be achieved by voluntary means nt recruiting. If we do not protect East Prussia we shall lose our most important territory for food supplies."