THE CHINA MAIL,
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1980.
FIRST ARMS, NOW BASES AND ALWAYS GERMANY GROWS STRONGER
The old hell broth Why let America
is bubbling again! push
Cologne. YOU HAVE NEVER MET Colonel Gerd Schmuckle, a slim Ger- man officer who cycles to
his work in Bonn every day wearing a uniform which looks as though it has been made for some- body much bigger.
And neither
have I, I
-AND THESE ARE
THE FACTS THE GERMANS ARE TRYING TO HIDE...
by John Deane Potter
contains fumitior in- they regard as the best in the Kiel and face the Baltic feet
words which gredients,
we world-the Germans feel they which is being steadily built up although during the past few hed this generation would will be a her any than ever Several weeku ago at the weeks I have made three never
hear again Messon- before.
arxi leben- attempts to see him. Each schmitt, Heinkel.
Lime Colonel Schmuckle, First let us take a look at the who is chief Press officer
army, which will consist of 10 mountain of the Defence Ministry in ordinary divisions, Born, has refused to meet division, and a parachute divi me, saying "My calendar is full up."
sion
When it is up to full strength shortly it will consist of over 100,000 armed men.
Personality
I new to Germany to try to examine the situation concern- Ing the new Gerinan armed forces which are expanding so rapidly that they need supply
Sixty-your-old nrny ebler and training boses in Spain. Lieut-Generat Hans Rotilger, But wherever I went in Hun- Prusthm-type ufficer of the old burg, Kiel, and Hanover, polite, school, and his sinf have marble-eyed German majors evolved a new #ysum of army clicked their heels and politely grouping which they think will bowed me out,
gan long way towards success fully countering atomic casual fies in the field
System
"No facilities, no permission," the chantes. "It is an order from the colonel in Bonn.“
Each division now consists of three self-contained brigades of 3,000 men. These comprise two battalions of infantry, one tank I can now well understand battalion, with their own artil Colonel Schmurkle's stubborn lery engineers and reconnais reluctance to let
Inspect
sance squadrons. German even a
sentry. Be- A stuff officer described the cause without his co-operation new formations io me like and help I have pieced together Us:-
me
Et 3x diftcult to realise as you look of the beautiful Rhine with its long. black barges
до
Stuclcken hipyards in Ham-
burg they laid down the keel of The arm, however, which Is the first of a dozen German- getting most of the American bull destroyers of 3,000 Lons. equipment is the new Geman They will be some of the fastest Air Force. They are already shins afloat with a speed of over
40 knols. Aging Sabre jets and will soon be equipped with 800 American- style jet atom fighter-bombers, the Starfighter.
They are
us around?
SURELY there are few people in Britain who would deny that to maintain friendly relations with America is a matter of vital importance.
I agree. Not that I become frantic with enthusiasm at everything said or done on the other side of the Atlantic. It is because in the lifetime of us all the anxieties and fears of millions of people scattered throughout the peace-loving and democratic world can only be allayed in the know- ledge that. Britain and America stand together.
Unfortunately I am driven to In recent the conclusion that
the also building six months relations between
two countries have reached the frigates equipped with special gas turbines to boost their owest ebb in decades. sped up to 45 knnés,
They will also have 40 Schnell beats, 45-knol motor torpedo beats for attacking big ships at high speed.
One of the most prominent personalities in the new German Air Force is Erich "Babi" Hart- mann, 38-year-old commander of the Arai German squadron Lo be given Starfighters which By two and a half times faster than the speed of sound.
Hartmann, modest persON-
is in the allty himself,
He s German tradition. most-decorated Aghter plist in 35 knots. the world.
A monster
They have also two small Scend World War U-bonts but to bull 350-10n are starting best-boats propelled by quld The rocket fuel which will cruise at
In the Second World War he rhot down 352 enemy aircraft. mostly on the Russian front.
For this Hitler pinned on his chest the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with, oak clusters, swords and diamonds,
Germans use hushed, reverent voices when they tell you this, beenuse
10 the it amounts equivalent of two V.C.s. Now he is back. In business with
a
Not an impressive array at the moment perhaps but a good start.
Britain is not to blame for thly It is entirely due to n complete lack of American understanding of the British attitude towards the Germans.
EL
Keen dislike
seems to me
by the Rt. Hon.
EMANUEL
SHINWELL,M.P.
former
that 1i10 American Government has now made up its mind to make Ger- MINISTER of DEFENCE
any the strongest milltary Power in Europa outside the Soviet Union,
Nato speed than in any other No wonder protests are made country, in Parliament. Nor is it strange
Now has come the startling
that West Ger In Klei, where they still have that the vast majority of Bri- announcement
Ush people regard with keen mony wants bases for training pictures nt the Grat Spee
of German militarisın
Spain. steaming out of barbour proudly dislike the prospect of a revival and the storage of equipment in
in shop windows. I
Have the Germans not been displayed
two great discovered a much more sinin-responsible for the ter situation.
wars of this century? There is a limitation on the of U-boats Germany Is allowed to build.
size
Self-woven
His doubts
Do the Americans expect Us
It is unlikely that the British to send the German people, who government was consulted unt!! are again imbued with the de-
the plan was ready to be put sire to
their military regain
into operation. Mr Selwyn prestige. our fond love and Lloyd, our Foreign Secretary, kisses?
admitted that he was told only a month ago and doubted Its wisdom..
But in Klei they have 80)- vaged
which was 1.700-ton U-2540,
an. undersea monster, The pretext
what Consider
has taken
State Does the American
or the Pentagon,
a Mory of the new German " is a purely German con armed forces which must cause exption.” As he said this hla alarm and foreboding in Bri- voice was already filled with bind arrogance and an under- tala.
tone of glory. "It will of course Le copied by our other allies. It is the sort of conception we bang. gliding along the water like Germans are good at. Wo
As you probe further behind the Nato-knitted curtain of straight cels, that the old hell serious professional soldiers." broth may
Now they are be beginning 10
getting the secrecy which guards the new bubble again.
American equipment which German forces, you come to built of the end of the war and place in a few years. FIRST
which Germans gleefully claim can still cruise faster and Eloy start was made by creating what Department, under water longer than the was supposed to be a German the equivalent of our Ministry mabile police force. Before of Defence, cure two hoots for 1.5. ntom sub Nautilus.
long
the pretext of policemen Mr Selwyn Lloyd's doubts? It will be commissioned in the charged with internal security
America settled the question overboard and spring as an experimental was thrown
of hases in Spain u long time
clear boat for the Ministry of Defence. force of 100,000 soldiers was in
It асст ugo.
that, existence,
the prevarication despite
and Where is all this leading to?
the confusion associated with Although the new forces ore the Supreme Commander nt responsibility for the plan, the Integrated Into Nato, they are Nato that 12 German divisions Germans will before long have commanded and led solely by were esential in order to pro their bases in Spain. Germans and as autonomous as
vidr + shield against the 180 British
American Russians. Already, and
there
Not Br are Who will decide? divisions armics.
seven of these
and tain, nor any other Nato country is stronger in man- in Europe. Perhaps Germany power than any Nato country Nato itself.. with the sole exception of
British aircraft men fight against fog
BRITISH aircraft designers are taking the lead in the fight against for delays. The new "second generation" jet airliners, 600 m.p.h. aircraft for European and long-distance routes, will be the first all-weather aero- planes able to operate in fogs that shut airports now.
auto-flare are matic pilots.
trols the airliner on its approach path right down to the touch- down.
First steps towards this being bull into the new de Haviland 131 for British Euro- pran Airways and the Vickers VC10 for Booe.
Pilot's job
con- it will result in greater safely then relying on the pilot's skill. Sald n de Havilland omelut: The Arst production Dil 121's will have auto-flare from the start in 1983,
All the captain has to do with this first-stage equipment is to make sure that the aircraft is properly lined up with the run-
allow for
cross-
The scientists working on the way and to problem estimate that by 1970 wds. the airliners will be able to land mitomatically in thick fog with the pilots sitting back and acting only as monitors to the "black boxes."
The fully automalle landing stage will take care of that part of the pilot's work, too.
Selentists say that the eye First stage is "auto-flere." tem will have to be po reliable This is being fitted into both before it can be introduced into aircraft. Using duplicated auto- persenger-carrying obstraft that
Confidence
..
"There will be a period, last ing several years, of getting to rely on it, in which the present weather rules might be reduced
"After that the airplane will be up-graded to do auto-landings, and there will be a period in which condence
La built
up. The objective is genuine ali- weather operation by 1970,"
-(London Ezprém Service).
BAR
|
One Cermin Panzer officer put the danger to me as follows:
The present high
command ure a lot of Junter-type, old- style officers. They will soon be replaced by younger and less aristocratic pillers what we call the sylf-woven men. They will be diferent.
you
NEXT we were informed by
Amerien.
Were flouted
not
evon
the
that all What we do know is the expense involved is to en- able America to get 15 minutes warning.
London Express Bervice.
friendship and partnership be- tween us.
But don't let us be mealy mouthed_about our problems and differences. A bit of Then there is the Middle East, straight talking won't do any
harm. Whatever criticism is valid be-
con- Is it not time that Mr Harold cause of Anthony Eden's duct in the
such Suez affair his Macmillan began to do narrative of events leading up talking? to Suez provides circumstantial
=(London Express Errvice). the evidence that
American suits State Department and Mr Dullen were working, against us in Egypt and other Arab countries. In this the action of a friend and ally?
It will be decided by United States. Spanish objec tions. If any, can be bought off,
have Is this not exactly the pattern and the Americans
what of military revival
buy which resources to followed the
much vaunted them. Pence Trenties after the First World War when the purpose German mili- was to control urism?
отс
What passes between Preal- dent Eisenhower and Chancellor Adenauer? Does our Foreign
Their warning
"There is one snag, however, and that is that the old-type generals still insist on heel- clicking and bowing officers. The intentions of the Allies Office know?
were flouted then; it seems that And if you want promotion, the
connivance of the more smarily you click
your with the
American authorities they chance heels the better have. It is possible if the old being ignored now. generals stay very long they wil so Inbue this spirit Into the young, ambitious officers that in a few years when the army is really big we will be right back to the goose stop and the jack
boot."
-{London Express Service).
If a question is asked in East Parlament we are blandly In- Is it any wonder that German forces are building up formed that the Foreign Seere at an alarming rate? It is true tery is not responsible for what that Soviet troops occupied East happens either in America Germany before West Germany West Germany.
But that we are being by rearmed, but the rate of West German rearmament is ac passed is certain. celerating with tar Greater
There are a
host of other things which irritate.
Hame's
“They've done one thing tho Kalver and
-takon was Mao's favourite seat.”
· London Express Barelis
the
As If we haven't enough trouble the Americans decided recently to repeal high jet fights over Berlin, well, know- ing Husion objections to plan.
It is true alco been
the proposal withdrawn. why was it ever made?
the
TALKING
POINTS
The Commonwealth first, has last and always the Com- Was monwealth,
But
or
Britain informed? Was Selwyn Lloyd consulted?
This is doubtful.
Now's the time
What is certain is that a leak
-SIN ROY WELENSKY. ·
That man has shown himself great who has
never bewalled his
De Gaulle declines to permit was arranged so that it should never grieved in evil daya, American misalle bases to be appear that the Alles intended and sited in Franco unless he is in to get tough with Russia. Of destiny, control of weapons and war- coume when everything was our Foreign Office was heads, So American bombers fixed
surprised-but, as usual, caved
are transferred to Britain.
in.
An early warning system, la to All this on the eve of tho
-SENECA.
At school, a man Ends
be constructed at Flingdales. Summit conference. What are his feet. At Oxford or Cam- According to the Minister D
bridge, too often he loses
Air this will allow four minutes' went to sabotage the confer his balance.
warning for Britain and fifteen minutes for Amerien
However, says our Secretary for Air, four minutes is sum- tient time 10 enable kombore to got into the air, What they are to do when they aro in the air is for from clear.
ence?
-GERARD BOPKINS.
***
"I repeat that the two great English-speaking nailons must not sever or weaken their relo- If you want to know how
confused
old a woman is, ask her the
tions. The world is
herngrod our and
enough, dangers are far from remoto. sister-in-law. It may well be that world peace ond our survival depends upon
'Atomic
-EDGAR HOWE --(London Exprem Service).
junkman' told:
Get out
of business
Long Beach, California.
THE latest hazard of the nuclear ageun. "atomic Junkman" has been ordered out of business as a possible health threat to the people of Long Beach.
A
Junkman Bobert Boswell has yard and ordered Boswell to get remanded for trial. He siki
that
pouncil's been under
10 the rid of the waste barrels in declared
decision to deny him a Booties dispose of waste materials from mediately..
AEC, Installations through the The council tack action after
U.S.
would bankrupt him.
Boswell still plans to chang cement-lined bare 165 miles off-shora in adrordance with A.E.C. regulations.
its health officer reported the Commission spokesmen claim disposal area was rene a school that radiation from Borwell's and would constitute a hazard <taponal yord is actually less to the children if there were an Bus het hom't yet" decided thom that from a radiumedial accidétit. wristwatch.
...
what to do with the "thousands
In court, Bopwell pleaded "not or other barrola of "hot" warie,
due to arrive at him yard soo
But Lang Bosch City Council, gulity" so unhing a junit bual (threw a göllon gmed zmaid the nose without a Mostaci, and was