Less Army

Less Army

Lord Robert Cecil reached a private agreement with the French Government for a mutual guarantee compact, calculated to end " the myth of French militarism."

France agreed to reduce her Army by 200,000 men if Great Britain and other Powers would come to her aid, if attacked, with the same number of troops.

The vital points of the new treaty, reached after three years of tedious negotiations, are as follows:

1) The three principal regional areas in Europe are designated.

2) In case of aggression, the power attacked will immediately notify the Council of the League of Nations, which will decide whether the States of that region shall use military, naval or economic force, or all three combined.

3) All existing and future alliances will be embraced by the treaty.

4) The obligations of any power are limited to its own region.

A majority of States must approve the Treaty before the plan will ensure any success.

Aside from ending the unpleasant armament disagreement between France and Great Britain, the effect of this treaty will be to lend substance to the empty formula of Article X* of the League Covenant, and make a practical first step in the reduction of land armaments.

*Article X reads: "The Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members of the League. In case of any such aggression or in case of any threat or danger of such aggression the Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled."