MILITARY, NAVAL AND AIR CLAUSES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10275, 9 May 1919, Page 5

MILITARY, NAVAL AND AIR CLAUSES

SECTION V

■“ln order to render'possiblestk&'inr-' tiation of a general limitation of armaments of all nations, Germany undertakes directly to observe the military, na val, and air clauses -which fellow'’ MILITARY* The military terms provide for,, the. demobilisation of the. German armies and the imposition w of restrictions within ' two * months' of signiim of the Treaty ’ (as tlim first step towards international disarm amontiAll compulsory military service'is*to' be" abolished in German territory and recruiting regulations on a voluntary basis arc to be incorporated into the German military laws providing for the enlistment of iion-coniin'lssioned officers" and men for a perib.cL,of.no.t’ Jek3„.tban twelve consecutive years, and stipulating that officers shall serve for .twentyfive years and shall not be retired until the age of forty-five.,. ~ No,.reserve,, of officers with war' service will be permitted. The total number of German 'Effectives is fixed at 100,000, including not more than 4000 officers, and it is provided that there shall be no other military officers raised outside this figure. Increase in the number of Customs and. forestry officials or police;, or i£bo military- training of these services, is specially prohibited. The function of the Gerinan army is to keep interna] order and control of the The High Command is'fo confine itself to administrative duties, and -will not be allowed to retain a General Staff. The •civilian personnel at the . War and similar institutions is to he reduced to eme-tenth ofi-that-tin'-lOlS.' There will be <not-.mere-‘thair‘SCven'‘in-fantry and three cavalry divisions' and not more than two corps staffs. Surplus war academies and schools for officers, cadets, etc., are to be suppressed, and 'df "stti'defits admitted to schools‘'f6taided~f6f 'the bet. cruitmeat of officers-is to'ho• limited 1 -to vacancies occurring .in the' establish*meats provided*. .produsioh'”<jf armaments, munitions;* and material of war in Gormanyeis limited to-a. -schedule based on the amount considered necessary for an army on the scale decided upon. No reserves may be formed, and all existing armaments, guns, and stores, abote-the* limits" fixed must' be handed over to for disposal. No poisonous •gas xrrTiquid fire shall bo manufactured or imported, nor any tanka nor .armoured cars. The Germans are obliged to notify to the Allies for approval the names and situation of all factories for manufacturing munitions, together with particulars, of their output. The German 'Govern-* ment arsenals are to be suppressed and their personnel dismissed. Munitions for the use of fortified works, are to -bo limited to 1300 rounds apiece for. guns of 10.5 cm. ~and ’. Under 600 rounds for guns of higher .■ calibre. Germany is prohibited from manufacture, ing armament® , and munitions for foreign countries, and from importing them from abroad. Germany must not maintain or construct any fortifications - situated bn.

German • territory*-Jeßg tf/wa -fifty kHo--metres east of the. Rhino, and in theabove area no armed forces either permanent or temporary ■■.u)ay ) jjhe,*ina4n.T tai.ned. The status quo is to he reserved in respect of fortifications on the original southcrn'and eastern frontiers of the German Empire. Jfo military manoeuvres "may bo”held, nor any permanent works kep’t 'for purposes of Helping mobilisation. ' The tion of fortrficatiorib iniist 1 ahe .I:ace within three months..,, » .. The naval terms provide that" within' two months the German naval forces in commission must .not. exceed..six battleships of t¥o"l>eutsphlq^d.-jtW, -the.. Lothnngeu type, six . Jightcryisors,, twelve destroyers, and. tamino-torpedo-, boats, or an nujj)'l}?X...of..’lships, constructed to replace them. Xo submarines are to'.be included, - and'all’ other warships are to he placed in reserve or devoted to commercial, piui;-' poses. Germany * may* keep * iti cbihmission a fixed nlimlicF'of mine-sweepiiig" vessels until the'nlfnes witlua" certain specified areas in the .Sea and Baltic have bSefi swept* up after the expiration of two ii^Pllls v -jXitci,tOtal exclusive personnel of £ho ” navy iuust. uot exceed 15,000*.; incljiding a maximum of 1500 officers and warrant officers. All German, siudaco.warships interned iu Allied or neutral ports are to bo finally surrendered..

"Within two months certain additional warships enumerated in the treaty and now in German ports’ will bo surrendered nt Allied ports. The Gonmm Government must undertake the breaking-up' of all ‘German - surface warships under construction. ’AUSrIh-

ary-cruisers, etc,, are to be disarmed and treated as merchant ships. Within one.month all German submarines, salvage vessels, and docks for submarines capable of proceeding under their own power or being towed must have been handed over to Allied ports. . The remainder, and those under construction, must bo broken up by Germany within three months. _ the material arising from the breakmg-up of German warships may not bo used except for industrial purposes, and may not be sold to foreign countries except 'under specified conditions tor replacement. Germany is forbidden to con-,-struct or acquire any warships, and the construction or acquisition ot a h submarines whatever is prohibited. Vessels of war are only to have a fixed allowance of arms, munitions, and war material. All excess m arms and munitions and wax* material is to bo surrendered, and no stocks or reserves are allowed. The personnel of the German navy must be recruited entirely by voluntary engagements foi a minimum period of twenty-five consecutive years for officers and u arrant officers. . and twelve consecutive years for petty officers and men under the various restrictions. In order to ,ensure free passage into tn© Baltic, y er * many is not to erect any fortifications in certain specified areas, nor instal ■any guns commanding the maritime routes between the North Sea and the Baltic. ’The existing fortifications, within those areas are to be demolished and the guns removed. Other fortified -works -within fifty kilometres- ot the German coast or on German islands are to remain as-being mf a defensive nature,’ but* no new fortifications- may be constructed, and armaments may not bo" increased. The maximum stocks of ' ammunition allowed for such fences are 1500 rounds per piece tor 4.1-inch guns and under, and 500 rounds per piece for guns exceeding that calibre. German wireless stations at Nauen, Hanover, and Berlin are not to b* used for naval, military, or political messages* without the assent or the Allied and associated Governments during three months," but only for com•mercial purposes under supervision. During; tho same period Germany is not to'build any more high-power wireleis stations. Germany, is to be allowed to repair German submarine cables which have been cut but are not being utilised by Allied Bowers, and also portions of tho cables which, after having been cut, have been removed Or’ are at’any rate being utilised by any-of the-Allied-and' associated Powers. ~ In such cases cables, or portions bfi catlfiS, -removed or utilised, remain the property of the Allied and"’ associated-. Powers, and accordingly fourteen cables, or parts of cables, are specified which may not be restored to Germany. AIR CRAFT CONDITIONS.

■ The air clauses provide that armed forces in Germany must not include any military or naval air forces. Germany 'is, however, to‘ bo allowed to fnainfdin a maximum of onoi hundred unarmed seaplanes up to October-Ist, 1910, to ha exclusively employed in searching for submarine mines. The entire personnel of the air forces in Germany is to be demobilised within two'months,* except for a total of 10,000 men, including officers, which may be retained up to October. Aircraft of the Allied associated Powers are to enjoy full liberty ot passage and landing over ana iu territory and territorial waters of Germany until January 13th, 1923, unless prior to that date Germany is admitted to the League, of Nations or is admitted to adhere to the International Air Convention. The manufacture of aircraft an<f parts of aircraft is forbidden throughout Germany for six months. All military and naval aircraft, including dirigibles and aeronautical material, are to be delivered to the Allied .and aooooiated Governments within three months, except for the seaplanes already specified. GENERAL ARTICLES. *

"."‘ The general articles provide for the modification, of German laws in conformity with the preceding clauses. All clauses contained in the Treatyare to be executed by Germany under the control of inter-Allied Commissions to be specially appointed by the Allied aha associated Governments, for which the German Government is bound -to furnish all' necessary facilities and' expenses of upkeep. The .-duties,-of the military,’ naval, and aeronautical’ commissions of control are ■laid down in detail.