REPUDIATED INTERVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 476, 4 October 1928, Page 9

REPUDIATED INTERVIEW

M. PAINLEVE ON ARMS GUNS ON THE FRONTIER (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. Noon. PARIS, Wednesday. A semi-official repudiation has been issued of War Minister Painleve’s interview, in which he declared that France would line Italy gun for gun in the frontier passes, which already were bristling. M. Painleve explains that he merely replied in a general way to journal ists’ questions regarding the Italian frontier. A special political correspondent of the “Daily Express” says startling increases, amounting to £12,250,000, are to be spent on French armaments. In the ensuing 12 months the total expenditure on the fighting forces will be £85,000,000 as against £73,000,000 last year. Britain is to spend £114,000,000 as against £115,000,000 last year. More than half the French expenditure —the army portion—is allotted to the construction of a great concrete defence wall and nests of machine and anti-aircraft guns on the French frontiers. The largest proportional increase is to be devoted to the French Air Force. This at present consists of 1,200 first line aircraft supplemented by large reserves. Britain barely has 700 aircraft. The fact that there is a 20 per cent, increase in the French naval estimates, says the correspondent, proves that a naval renaissance in France is no longer an empty phrase.