29. Sir F. HALLasked whether Germany has yet complied with the pro- 1472 visions of the Peace Treaty under which she is called upon immediately to reduce her Army to 200,000 and subsequently to 100,000; if not, will he state what is the number of men which it would at the present time be possible for Germany to equip and place in the field; what steps are being taken to enforce this important part of the treaty; and will he state whether under the treaty the Allies possess any and, if so, what powers of inspection of armament and munitions works in Germany to ensure that she shall not be in a position at any time to provide equipment in excess of that required for the reduced Army allowed by the treaty?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLUnder Article 163 of the Peace Treaty the German Army has to be reduced to 200,000 men by the 10th April, 1920. A gradual reduction to this figure is now in progress. There is no provision in the Peace Treaty calling for an immemediate reduction to 200,000 men. On the recommendation of Marshal Foch, the Supreme Council have decided and notified the German Government that the subsequent reduction to 100,000 men must be effected by the 10th July, 1920.
At the present time only the Regular Army (Reichswehr) of 250,000 men is completely equipped and in every way fit or ready to take the field. The reduction of the German Army is being supervised by the Military Inter-Allied Commission of Control, which entered upon its functions on the 10th January, 1920. The execution of the Air Clauses is being controlled simultaneously by the Aeronautical Inter-Allied Commission of Control. Ample powers are given to these Commissions in the Peace Treaty, Articles 203–210. Articles 204 to 208 provide for the inspection of all armament and munition works in Germany, and for the reduction of war material to the scale allowed by the Treaty. The manufacture of arms, munitions and war material, is dealt with in Article 168, the effective control if which is one of the duties of the Military Inter-Allied Commission of Control.
Sir F. HALLUnder the circumstances, may the country feel satisfied that the arrangement entered into by the Peace Treaty for the reduction of the German Army and the compliance with other Sections of the Treaty, are being strictly 1473 adhered to, and that the Government will carefully look after the matter?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLBroadly speaking, I think that is so. Of course, the whole subject has to be watched from day to day, and the Military Inter-Allied Commission, with Marshal Foch at the head, is far and away the best instrument that could be devised for watching the execution of the Treaty Clauses.
§ Colonel ASHLEYCan the hon. Gentleman say what steps are being taken to look after the small arms and artillery of the German Army as it is being demobilised, and will the fact be borne in mind that these are trained men, and that if these arms are available for them there is not much use in demobilising them?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI cannot, without full notice, answer questions of that detail in regard to a Treaty which is being administered under the Inter-Allied Commission; but I think the House would be justified in putting its confidence in the action of the Commission, which is presided over by the most distinguished soldier of the Allied Armies.
Lieut.-Colonel LOWTHERAre the Supreme Council taking special precautions against the secret building of war planes or parts of war planes?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI cannot answer that without notice, but I feel confident that the Inter-Allied Commission will safeguard the full execution of the Treaty. I am bound to say that we have not seen so far any recalcitrant disposition on the part of the German Government who are, in fact, carrying out a great many clauses which must be obnoxious to them to the best of their ability.
Sir F. HALLMay we understand that the Government are taking particular care to see that the civilian forces, or forces of a civilian nature, are not being trained and banded together and provided with arms in order that they may, in the event of some remote emergency, be practically on all fours with trained soldiers?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, those are matters which fall within the scope of the Commission's duties, and if the Commission does not deal adequately with them it will have been guilty of a great failure.