PRESTIGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 192, 16 August 1939, Page 18

PRESTIGE.

G.T. states "Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald and his Labour Government let our Army and Xavy down to a low ebb." Previous letters have made similar statements and only a few days ago an interjector in Parliament made a similar accusation. The Labour party has formed the Government in Britain on one occasion for about nine months and on another for about two years, finally going out of power in September. 1931. Seven years afterwards it is claimed that Britain had to back down owing to weakness in armaments. Surely Labour cannot be blamed for that seven years? The first suggestion of disarmament was the Washington Conference in Xovember. 1921; a naval liolidaj- is agreed to, and Britain stops work on four new capital ships. At this date Mr. Lloyd George was Prime Minister and Ramsay MacDonald was not even a member of Parliament. so it is difficult to see how he can be held responsible. It is true the Labour party believed in collective security under the League of Xations. and if Britain had supported the League with anything like the guarantee she is now giving to several countries we would be much nearer peace. Only collective security will ensure peace; dividing the world into two armed camps will not do it. PLAIN BILL.