RHINELAND ARMY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 128, 20 August 1927, Page 1

RHINELAND ARMY

REDUCTION SCHEME FRANCE NOT PLEASED By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright LONDON - , Thursday. The British Cabinet has received a communication from the French Government about a reduction of the Allied forces now in occupation of the Rhineland. The British view is that a reduction is almost overdue. The text of the French Note is secret. It is, however, gathered that it deals mainly with objections to Britain's idea of the substantial reductions which the Ambassadors’ Conference, held on November 14, 1926 undertook to make. Apparently the French military authorities are not pleased with th~ idea of a reduction of even 5,000 troops, whereas a reduction of 10,000 to 12,000 would be favoured by the British Government. It is understood the French Note suggests a reduction of 5,000 French troops and another 5,000 divided between the British and Belgian forces. However, as the French total Is at present more than 50,000, and the Belgo-Britlsh total less than 15,000, a reduction in these proportions would obviously diminish seriously the interAllied character of the army of occupation.—A. and N.Z.