17 APRIL 1936, Page 2

Germany's Strength An attempt is made by a competent German

writer in an article on a later page of this issue to throw some light on the obscure question of what Germany's armed strength really is. The difficulty, of course, arises from the fact that no official figures on the subject are made public in Germany, and speculations by the German Press on subjects the Government wishes to leave undiscussed are Very effectively repressed. For that reason the computa- tions on which the article is based must necessarily be presented with some reserve, since some of them are avowedly, and of necessity, arbitrary estimates. But the general conclusions reached by the writer are not likely to be far wrong. With, perhaps, one exception. He demon- strates that Germany will not reach her maximum strength till 1939, and adds that it is then that the menace of German armaments will have to be faced. That argu- ment takes too little account of the fact that strength, viewed as a menace, is relative. Germany's rearmament driven half Europe to like action. Whether her strength will be relatively griifer in 1939 than it is today may therefore be questioned. No one is dreaming of an attack on her. r An attack by her, whether now or three years hence„.jes:onld be a desperate Venture. The Iteichs, wehr, fortiukatelv. seems disinclined for desperate ventures.

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