GERMAN DISARMAMENT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 81, 30 December 1920, Page 5

GERMAN DISARMAMENT

ALLIED COMMISSION TO FURNISH FULL REPORT SPA ENGAGEMENTS NOT FULFILLED By Tclejrriph-Presa Aiaooiatlon-OopyrilcM (Bee.. December 29, 7.20 p.m.) Paris, December 28. Tiio "Statin" alleges that tha Ambassadors' Conference instructed the Allied Military Commission to furnish a full report on Germany's disarmament by December 31. The newspaper adds: "Germany has not. fulfilled the engagements entered into at Spu." The "JJcho do Paris" asserts that Germany still possesses an armed force of 800,000, while the irregular organisations comprise 2,000,000 men. "Le Journal's" Berlin correspondent says that the German Government received an energetic note on the subject from the Allies.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN GOVERNMENT POWERLESS TO ENFORCE DISARMAMENT IN BAVARIA. The Berlin correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian," writing in October, said: The disarming of tho civil population has been successful beyond' measure here in Berlin Hp tg yesterday evening, 22,000 rilles, 38'} machine-guto, 700,000 rounds of ammunition, two iield guns, and a great quantity of grenades and spare parts were given up in Berlin aud its suburbs. . Very few arms have been surrendered in the country districts. In Bavaria, tha disarmament order is completely ignored. A few ditys ago the Laudessclnossen, a kind of patriotic aiid military festival, took plaeo at Munich. Whole contingents of the l!inwohnenvehr (Civil Guard) marched through the streets with slung rifles. The black, white, aud red flag of tho Empire was flying everywhere, tho Republican black, red, and. gold being httdly in evidence at all. The Ministerial President, von Kahr, addressed an enthusiastic meeting and aaid that: "Tho spirit of the BinwOhnerwehr is' that everyone is ready to lay down his lifb for tho State." Escherich, head of tho illegal "Orgnsch," also spoke in praise of the Eimvolmerwehr as upholders of law and order

Afted November 1 it wiil be a penal oflcnce for any civilian to have arms in liis possession, but a parado of armed men in Munich, whilo disarmament is in full swing at Berlin, shows beyond doubt that Bavaria ilccs not intend surrendering a single l'ifle. "Willi t-ho best will in tho world the German government is powerless to curry out the disarmament clause of the Spa agreement ns far as Bavaria is cdnccrnod. If Berlin cannot control Munich in this respect it cannot control it in others. The Bavarian movement for a federal Germany naturally gains strength from tlio weakness of tho Central Government, and tho tusslo between the two is naturally having its influents on the other German States. Political autonomy witliin the Reich ia now strongly recommended for Upper Silesia as tho only solution of tho Upper Silesian problem.

Under the Weimar' Constitution Prussian provinces have the right to ,vot« for or against secession from Prussia when the Constitution has been in force for two years, that is, after August, 19tl, and it now 6eems possible tlmt Hanover and tho Left Rhine Bank will make use of this'right. Prussia has two-fifths of the -electorate, and South Gonnany is suspicious of such a predominance. It is proposed to decentralise Prussia by treating each Prussian province as a separate wit ill the Itciclisrat Such proposals, though still very much in tho air, are a concession to tho movement for federalism, and are meant to forestall any more sorious. dislocation of the Reich. BRITISH WAR COSTS WHY WAS GERMANY NOT MADE TO FAYP (Kec. Docotnucr 29, 7.55 p.m.) „ London, December.J29. Mr. L. J. Ma'xse, In an article in the "National Review'," says that Mr. Hughes, strongly backed by Lord Sumner, made nil earnest iight during the negotiations preceding the armistice for tho principle that Germany should pay tho British war costs, but, fortiiied by the vigorous support of President Wilgori, the American dclejintes in an informal conference, persuaded Mr. Lloycj George, Signor Orlando, and M. Clemencrau to oppose Mr. Hughes's and lord Sumner's contention. The "Alorning Post," commenting oh Mr. MaxscV article, says tho Hrltisli public are entitled to lrnow e*acl!y why Mr. Lloyd tleorge gave away the .British case and supported President Wilson in tho lino that damajes be paid by Germany on the narrowest possible scalc.— Aus.'-N.H. Cablo Assn.