The Prime Minister made a statement on Monday as to
the steps taken by the German Government since the San Remo Conference to carry out the disarmament clauses of the Peace Treaty. He said that a German official statement was issued by wireless on June 10th to the effect that on that date the German Army had been reduced to 200,000 men. This infor- mation, which does not seem to have been officially communi- cated to our Government, has not yet been checked by the Inter- Allied Military Commission of Control, but there is evidence to show that the German Army, which numbered 270,000 on May 10th, has been considerably reduced within the last month. Orders have been issued for the disbandment of the unauthorized reserves known as Zeitfreiwilliger and Einwohnerwehr, but the German Government is still pressing for permission to retain the Sicherheitspolizei its a force in being ; it is supposed to be from 80,000 to 120,000 strong, and is so far from being a mere police force that it is armed with artillery, tanks and aeroplanes as well as machine-guns. This does not promise well for the reduction of the German army to 100,000 men.
