THE WHITE PAPER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 122, 5 March 1936, Page 5

THE WHITE PAPER

DIVERGENCE OF OPINION. COMMENT IN LONDON PRESS. LACK OF DETAIL CRITICISED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, March 3. Criticism of the rearmament programme is concentrated on the paucity of details and the absence of indication of total cost. It is understood that the estimates for the fighting services show an expenditure for the financial year ending March, 1937, of more than £155,000,000, which is £31,000,000 more than the original estimates for the year.

The programme Avas the sole topic of the lobbies of the House of Commons. There is a general impression of satisfaction at the increase in the number of cruisers to 70, but regrets are expressed that there arc not more details.

Expressing the opinion that 'the plans are satisfactory, Admiral Sir Roger Keyes said it was only fair to point out' that a large part of the programme cannot proceed until the expiry of the London and Washington Treaties on January 1, 1937. The "Daily Mail" declares: "The programme is a great disappointment, and quite inadequate. It does not promise security, and does not make good the neglect of the past. The aircraft figures should be contrasted with Italy's present 5500 front-line machines. The lessons of the Abyssinian campaign have not been learnt." The "Daily Herald" says: "The White Paper is a muddle, with dangerous confusion of thought. There has been no serious' attempt to determine what British interests are. likely to be threatened, or to assess the extent to which collective security could be relied upon to protect those interests." The Government Congratulated. "The Times" says: "The lessons of recent experience are clear. Armaments cannot make peace—neither can lack of them. Britain is, first of all, determined to act with other nations for the prevention or restraint of •aggression. She has been stirred also to prove that the collective system possesses means of making, as well as of keeping, peace. Behind that dual policy the whole conviction of the Empire is ranked." The "News-Chronicle" says: "The whole document presupposes that the world is foredoomed to war. It is a programme made by statesmen who have thrown up the sponge." The "Daily Telegraph" congratulates the Government on its courage, saying: "There has never.before been a British programme like this, embracing not only the Army, Navy and Air Force, but also the thinking machine and the complex problem of munitions."

The White Paper is largely a sequel to Mr Stanley Baldwin's statement in the House of Commons last year, "Britain's frontier is on the Rhine." Those in closest touch with developments openly avowed this afternoon that the White Paper was primarily directed against Germany. "Not a moment can be lost in emphasising the enormous demands which will be made on industry," a correspondent of the Sun-Herald Service states. "The definite shortage of highly-specialised labour is one difficulty, because firms are already competing for such workmen. The Government is anxious not to disturb normal industry, and will distribute the work as far as practicable among innumerable factories. The key word of the document is ' deterrent.' "

ITALIAN CRITICISM. DUCE'S ASSURANCE RECALLED. LONDON, March 3. The Rome correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says the Government'does not accept the statement that the increase of Italian forces is a valid reason for British rearmament. It is emphasised that, Italy rearmed to protect her 'East African, colonies, while Signor Mussolini has solemnly assured Britain that he would respect her interests everywhere.