DANGEROUS TIMES

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 24, 30 January 1939, Page 7

DANGEROUS TIMES

PEACE SAFEGUARDS.

Stronger Britain the Best Guarantee. E&ITI3H MINISTERS' VIEWS. British Official Wireless. RUGBY, January 29. Measures for safeguarding the peace of the world were referred to in speeches by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon, and the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Malcolm Mac-Donald. Sir John said Britain would miss no opportunity of bringing about some measures of agreed and general disarmament. In the meantime a stronger Britain was the best guarantee for peace. A peace policy was the best contribution Britain could make in these dangerous times. To have one powerful Government which steadily set itself against the theory that war was inevitable, and which would do anything in its power to prevent incurable schisms among its neighbours, was what the world most needed. An illarmed Britain in a rearmed world would be no contribution to that peace which they all desired. Continuing, Sir John said: "When. we assess the position of Britain in the world to-day let us not make the mistake of measuring everything by armed power alone, formidable as our gun-power is. Financial Strength a Defence. "There are other factors of great importance. There is our financial strength which remains 'as important a weapon of defence as ever before. The world knows that is so. Britain is far better equipped to face a financial crisis to-day than she was seven years ago." Mr. Mac Donald, speaking at Leeds, said many people were far too pessimistic about the prospects for 1939. "But we are certainly living in very anxious days, , ' he added. "All are conscious that over our heads hangs a dark shadow —the possibility of war."