Paris, Apr. 17.
Air agreements being worked out among Britain, ance and Soviet Russia as well as other nations, should enable the anti-Dictator Powers to put 12,000 first line warplanes in the air immediately upon the outbreak of a general European war, French military experts said today The frst line air strength of the Rome-Berlin Axis coalition amounts to less than 10,000 planes, the experts estimated, Defence agreements now being drawn up will give the non-aggressor group of nations definite superiority, they said. In the vital problem of replacements the Italo~German mass production and aircraft factories still give Italy and Germany an edge. they admitted, but hoped that United States factories would be able to supply their replacement deficiencies [until such time as Anglo-French production can be increased, A Foreign office informant said today that the Anglo-French-Russian air pact was practically concluded and that a complete agreement could be expected very shortly.
Progress in defence arrangements has been so rapid, the informant said, that if Rumania, Poland or reece is a victim of aggression, Russia almost certainly will throw her weight behind the Anglo-French operations in conformity with the agreement, The proposed air pact, the French said, chiefly concerns France, Britain and Russia, but will take in other Powers, The French plan for Rus-san participation in the alliance would call for common defence acand Russian factories would be to furnish munitions—United German Arms for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.
