§ 28. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the extent to which the civil population in Soviet Russia of both sexes are given military drill and instruction in the use of lethal weapons?
§ Mr. SHAWAccording to the League of Nations Armaments Year Book, 1930, 340,000 recruits annually are surplus to the requirements of the armed forces of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics. These men receive military training outside the Army. This training consists of periodical courses amounting in all to not more than six months during a period of five years, not more than two months being served in any one year. It will also be seen that the Society for Air and Chemical defence includes rifle clubs among its various activities, by means of which a proportion of its members are apparently given instruction in the use of lethal weapons. As far as women are concerned, no information is available on the subject.
§ Commander BELLAIRSSurely the right hon. Gentleman has seen the reports of the American experts who have come back from the factories—about men and women being drilled twice a week, by the Red Army?
§ Mr. SHAWI have seen so many reports from Russia, and I have seen with my own eyes things which contradict the reports so directly, that I am very sceptical about accepting these reports.