§ 32. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Germany is wilfully evading the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles for the reduction of her army to 100,000 effectives by the enlistment of a large armed police force on a military basis at the age of 18 years, who are to receive gratuities for war service and military pensions; what action is being taken by the Allied Powers in the matter; whether he can inform the House of the total number of rifles which have now been surrendered by Germany; and whether he is satisfied that the provisions of the Treaty as to the surrender of arms and munitions have been fully carried out?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Lieut.-Colonel Guinness)I have been asked to reply. I am not in a position to state what may be in the mind of the German Government with regard to the intention of evading the provisions of the Peace Treaty alleged in this question, but it is known that just prior to the French occupation of the Ruhr the authorised army of 100,000 all ranks was considerably under establishment.
§ By the Boulogne Conference the German Government was allowed:
§ 150,000 police to be armed at the rate of
- 1 rifle per 3 men;
- 1 short pistol per man;
- 340 heavy machine-guns;
- 150 armoured cars.
§ War service in the army during the late War counts towards police pension.
§ The pay and pensions, and conditions of service of the police are similar to those of the army.
§ In regard to the action being taken by the Allies, the reorganisation of the police is the first of five outstanding points raised in the Allied Collective Note of 29th September, 1922. This Note was 1903 originally presented at the instigation of the War Office, and has again been insisted on in the Allied Note of 18th April, 1923.
§ War material surrendered to the Inter-Allied Military Commission of Control up to 12th April, 1923, includes 4,560,861 small arms, 87,950 machine guns, 33,571 guns and 11,616 trench mortars.
§ Our military advisers are satisfied that the provisions of the Treaty with regard to the surrender of arms and munitions have been carried out to such an extent as to ensure that at the present time Germany is effectively disarmed.
§ The complete and loyal execution by Germany of the points contained in the Collective Note of 29th September, 1922, is however necessary to ensure the permanency of the military guarantees under the Treaty.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs it not time that we insisted on this matter of the police being dealt with, because, in view of what the hon. and gallant Gentleman has just said, it is clear that they are only camouflaged soldiers; and does he not think that we should be represented side by side with the French in the Ruhr until this important question has been settled?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not think that question arises, and the hon. Member had better put it on the Paper.