SECRET ARMY.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1926, Page 4

SECRET ARM Y.

STOP IKS OF JIIDDKN AN MS

HEP PIN, April 2]

It has been known for some time that Mr Quiddc had drawn up on bo-

Anlf of the peace societies ol Germany a confidential memorandum on German Secret Military Organisations for the members,of the Reichstag. There have been mysterious retcrcnces to this document in the German Press, but the secret of its contents lias been well guarded.

A kind wind lias blown this confidential memorandum on to my desk. It begins with a preface in which it is oxplained that the peace societies appointed a committee to observe the activities of the secret military organisations which are acknowledged on all sides.

BEQUEST TO .REICHSTAG. The statements and documents contained in the memorandum have been received from persons whom the committee considers worthy of confidence, and it adroitly requests the Reichstag: “(I) To appoint a special commission to ascertain whether the statements are true; “ 02 1 Ff this be the case, to require the Government to proceed against the secret organisations with due severity; “(ft)'To take mentis to prevent the recurrence of such abuses under now forms.” Up to the present the Reichstag has done nothing, although some time has elapsed since the memorandum was handed “ personally and confidentially.” to use T)r Quiddo’s phrase, to every member of the Reichstag. The memorandum shows that a vast military organisation has spread over every part of Germany except that occupied by Allied troops, that it works in close co-operation with the army, is financed by the industrialists and landowners and -has a definite plan of mobilisation in the event of war. This military force is composed of I members of the Nationalist societies, led bv the most powerful and influential, the Steel Helms, and is known throughout Germany as the “ Heimschutz,” or Homo Defence. | SPENDIDLY TIMED. “ This Home Defence,” states the memorandum, “is a secret organisation, more accurately a reorganisation of the pre-war army, splendidly trained and spread throughout Germany, but specially strong in the frontier provinces. Its purpose is to be the reserve of the regular army in ease of war.” The memorandum gives tin account of the organisation of the Brandenburg district, which, it states, is the type of the organisation in oilier parts of Germany.

The commander is Count von Hardenberg, whose headquarters are at I Frankfurt-on-the-Oder. His adjutant is Captain von Morosowicra. The province is divided into three districts: Potsdam, Frankfurt and the Ostmark. Berlin has an independent organisation. Each of the three districts includes the recruiting ground for two regiments. They are divided into sub-dis-tricts corresponding to the pre-war district commands. “ Tn each of these sub-districts there is an officer whose business it is to get recruits and train them to look after arms. They keep in close touch with the garrison of the district.” The training of the men. is conducted by the sub-district officers, by noncommissioned officers of the old army, and by non-commissioned officers of the regular army who are specally told off for the purpose. The Home Defence officers and the best of the non-commissioned officers

are admitted into the ranks of the regular army once a year for eight weeks'in order to have special training. The men are provided Vitli uniforms by the army and paid by the Home Defence. The arms of the Home Defence arc stored on ground belonging to the army: The arms include : (1) Artillery: light and heavy artillery, heavy mine-tlirowers. (2) Infantry: middle and light minethrowers, heavy and light machineguns, rifles, carbines. (3) Technical: requirements for pioneer, train and information services.