BRITAIN'S AIR POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1922, Page 5

BRITAIN'S AIR POLICY.

•■ i ITS CARDINAL POINTS. FORCE "FOR HOME DEFENCE. EYES OF ARMY AND NAVY. (By Cable.—rress ._sedation.— Copyright.} (Received 10.:',n n.m i LONDON, March 2C Brigadier-General Groves, air expert, concluding a series of special articles in the "Times," submits that the aims of British air policy 6hould be: — (1) To build as rapidly and economically :ts possible a striking air force for home defence, lest the heart oi" the Empire be open to sudden and direct attack from the air. 12) To provide the Army and Navy with specialised air forces, with essentia! efficiency. (3.1 To create a Royal Air Force organisation to carry out the duties at present performed by the Army and Navy. (4) To maintain and develop the aircraft, industry. Civil aviation had suffered in the past because it had not lieen definitely and clearly identified with national defence. State grants were the only po*sible method of creating defensive air fleets or exploiting and utilising civil aviation, nf which the hulk of the material and personnel should be promptly available at the outbreak of war. Britain was faced with intensive growth of air power I throughout the lontinenl and the world, and was not creating adequate means to meet that force. Nearly four centuries ago tiie great sea captains laid the foundation of Britain's sea power aud gave Kngland peace and security. She no longer may look to sea power to protect hi-, but stands upon the threshold of a new age. "To us." he concluded, "is given the greater task of building up a mightier force to safeguard the future of the Empire."—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)