ARMAMENTS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1933, Page 5

ARMAMENTS

INCRE ASE URGED

IN STRENGTH OF U.S. FORCES

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

, WASHINGTON, November 26. General Douglas Macarthur, chief of staff, in his annual report.to Congress published to-day, recommends an increase in appropriations;' In addition he asks for money for extensive mechanisation, including many tanks of which he claims that only twelve have been built since the war. The old tanks are obsolete. He also asks

for a return of the fifteen per cent .pay cuts for officers and enlisted men. He said that the morale of the army was not at the best. The men con- . tinue to perform duties faithfully but re-enlistments are diminishing. 'At some stations desertions have been more numerous. Jn his report, General MacArthur said: “The United States Army’s strength is below the danger line. I consider it of the utmost importance that this be restifled without deay,”

The United States military strength, he stated, was only seventeenth in the world in relative strength, He recommended ' the expenditure of nearly two hundred million dollars on aircraft, the modernisation and motorisation of the field artillery, mechanisation;' aiti-aircraft equipment ; general motorisation; the maintenance of the National Guard at the existing strength of at least one hundred and twenty thousand reserve officers, with two weeks annual training for at least thirty thousand. At present, there are about one hundred, and nineteen thousand reserve officers.

WORLD’S CIViJ. AVIATION

GENEVA, November 27

As a sequel to his recent visit to Geneva, Colonel Lindbergh has consented to serve in an advisory capacity for the League of Nations Committee for the control of civil aviation. In regafd to that objective, Colonel Lindbergh favours a scheme of standardisation of all of - the. international services, with a view to the development of civil aviation on a vast scale. 1 •

SEEKING EUROPEAN PEACE.

LONDON, November 27

The “Daily iMa-ilVs” Paris correspondent says : I — At- ' the- dinner of the British Legion, General Weygand said that neither France nor Britain alone could stop, war in Fur ope. Together > they could do so, and thus Could guarantee European peace, and abolish war. Tim only obstacle was the difficulty of securing a mutual understanding, More points of contact were requisite.