TENDING THE EMPIRE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21121, 23 March 1934, Page 13

TENDING THE EMPIRE

_ ♦ tem Reviewed in {Commons f jACE THE AIM )PL RATION LET WE EN SERVICES !.' 'Xi-.-ch 21. ■ .Mr TT:i;: :-:•%* Mac! 1. 'liald 1 . •v-Secretary <■; State for ■ in lf>24. Mr Mac Donald ihat Grea' Mritoin's meas- - i>f Itr.of-rir' deioree v.xri' -mole rcr secure p. ac< . I division between fgc n.orai tn. ;md »h..t to deal with the It a Mmis'er {or Defence ■d i'e appointed who would 1 more authority tlutn the scr\Mm;s'ers MacDenaid. reply in!*. said t in the transitional period tigh which the whole el the nods of defence were passing oof the greatest claims lor the p:nl system was that P was Able and adaptable t.i change.;. Jficrc was a League of Nations In could adequately and Rifely be rfcribrd a? a. system of pooled pe-.rity the whole problem of Jaonal and Imperial defence wold bo fundamentally changed, out that titnc was nut yet. Co-ordination Necessary j Referring to the nature »>i the | r ;istiii'j organisation lor Imperial jeefenee, he said it could r.ot be I adequate unless it faced the probjlems of co-ordination of defence /policy, co-ordination of finance, staif ;k IS'o-opcration. and joint staff train'■l On these poin's the Cabinet stipI plied the final word, the advisory j authority of the Cabinet being the f Committee of Imperial Dcience. The work of this committee went on from day to day. but once c\ ••• j ear the chiols of stall' prc-'-nted a report to the com.imt' en. based va ions ei that report vera d>- ' ca.-scd by the full Committee <•: Imperial Defence, and then sept <" tie Cabinet, whore the body of Ministers was in a position to cuscu.-.- ; and deal with. it. That rev it w '.'.as. always made in time for the estimates. and revealed a very Inch state of co-ordination and co-opera-tion. As the 'result of the co-ordm-ation of expenditure effected husc sums had been saved. Finally, the House of Commons received the estimates, and it could be said that finance and administration v.xnt ' hand in hand m ail stages. Defensive Plans i Regarding staff co-ordination, the | preparation of the technical ride et f joint defensive plans was the rcj sponsibilitv of the chiefs or staff, ■ who were bound to co-operate ar.d consider plans as a whole. The advice of the Foreign Office was available for the supply of the political data required, and in aci- | dition ministerial committees wore I always at the service of the duels I of staff, and contact was kcot with ; such committees as the Principal I Supply Officers' Committee. I What was very important in tins j feallv admirable piece of rdminis- | trative machinery. 'Mr Mac Donald | said, was that those who planned r were those who would be primarily ; responsible for execution. | Co-operation with Dominions Mr Mac Donald rtescribed how cooperation with the Dominions was secured. He said they attended the : Committee of Imperial Defence for joint counsel and advice to the cxI tent they themselves mm.ht decide. ■ On a number of occasions in recent years particular Dominions had | ; >sked for the advice "f the committee on their defensive problem, and Great Britain was kept fully , informed as to what the Dominions v -ere doing. The defence p"liey itself had to . I be worked out m relation to tins ,i country's position as a world power ; j «nd a European nower, and having regard to Imperial unity. The air' 4 service for Inane defence- was in | rts infancy, and for the next few years the navy was of vital importance as a part of the Imperial de- | fence and the flc t air arm v. a: i essential to the modern navy. J Naval Programme I He assured the House that the r '<ival programme was strietlv with- | !n the limits <<f the treat v. He re'allcei that t]-. e who tool: part in V.-- 1 ? Lond"ii N;,vai Tn atv were informed _that m accepting the ligurLS that by lfCJj-.iij would have to •'S'iume th.v ,-mtv ton ; ho had said i *r.e required v .-..'id be nec.icd. : . The Govcn.ni' ' was considering > Bl "xnamen«s not against any other : prwer, but m relation to its own • v an i protective needs. : I lna t was v. l:v »!;.••. -till believed m . j -rcaty a.gix r. na no ' MaeDomdil I ,rl 'cy wa. I ",',' 1 ' polh'v. d'lpl'';u- ; ?t l- and o. ' 1 The aim <•; to. ciovrntment wa.- ; and coiiid only be; ; '«sed n ;.>oii .■' i nat lonal eo-oper;:- ! ' lon - The an , • .o'er-, nation to- ; i must J,,. 1., oorsue and develop | I Peace, not re-arded Useli 1 as i iie whole cm- . | munity of n,o ; ,>r-. and tiiat was, 'hat the r-r;-,,..,, C'lovci'nment was, Going. j The Lea ear -■ : Nations, properly ] P • ' WSs th<. onlv organisatioii in ! -xistence if, see urn peace, and the j "Overnmrc-it therefore would do j j - erythin,-* po.-siblc- to restore and I j Maintain if;. nu:i,.,ritv. I | ,j J 1 Staiil';. r.aldwm. l.oid Pie-; | «otr.t el IV Council, replMiig tu j j .

ice (icdiu'ii ;;i.'i !cin..r:; iihim [ bo ! ro;itecl a> e: >;-. I ; t :«■ i■, i iai. rntici.-iu. >.i KI ..il vuh\;n\ a;;' fun-:- ;; c-oulcl be ;]i">nli.-i.(.(! i; e;v:l :i \ -1; 111 ■> j • : were ci.nlrollci! •'■'■ u !i ' ;i ' -""' ; Hv. \<n uhieh ho beli Scheme eolilii 1"' iU V <..-('('• l-'.:;:l fnllimiltCfS ill tile la.-i K! Vr;ir, 1;;!'! rejected prop l "'.-'.'!!? i'"i' ;i :-\n:i\v Mn- j i istry of Defenee. Tee Committee j•" ef imperial Deieiiee wa.s both ali\-«_- j \ and active, i