BRITAIN'S STAND FOR PEACE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21319, 12 November 1934, Page 11

BRITAIN'S STAND FOR PEACE

Statement by Prime Minister ADEQUATE DEFENCE BUT NO ARMS RACE ,'CSITED FRE3.9 ASSOCIATION— BI BLICT3IC TELEOEAIH—COPtEIGHT.) (Received November 11, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 9. Mr Ramsay Mac Donald (Prime Minister) at the Lord Mayor's banquet, emphasising that it was the Government's policy to preserve world peace, declared if an international arms agreement was refused, defence requirements must be met by putting Britain's nonaggression beyond question. "The Government cherishes Britain's reputation for being the most dependable and most consistent, peacemaker. These services will be continued as long as the Government lasts, because it is convinced that a common-sense peace policy is practical. "The League of Nations imposes responsibilities on Britain which will be fulfilled. Otherwise the risk of war would be greatly increased. But the Government is determined not to increase its obligations quixotically, and certainly not without parliamentary sanction. "Some pacifists blame us for not taking steps which would quickly dot the country with munition factories, make the League an armed camp, and bring us swiftly into conflict with other nations. Our foreign policy will not be thus conducted." Referring to the naval conversations he said England, America and Japan desired agreement not jeopardising the safety of any one of them, and not depriving any one of them of necessary defence. An agreement among all .naval powers eliminating useless and extravagant building, while ensuring security, would be a most conspicuous step towards peace. Meanwhile, if they were met by aggression, they should at least be able to defend themselves. They had purposely taken the risk of showing the world an example in disarmament, though the equipment of other powers would have justified their expansion. . They had recently investigated the resources of home and imperial defence. Experience proved that in the world's present state disarmament by example was an ineffective way of strengthening peace and might, in some circumstances, tempt an aggressor to attack. "I believe the country will trust us to do what is necessary without embarking on an arms race," he declared.

WARNING AGAINST WAR NEED TO EDUCATE YOUTH MR LLOYD GEORGE SPEAKS

(Received November 11, 9.19 p.m.) LONDON, November 10. Opening an exhibition of pictures depicting war horrors arranged by the "Daily Express," Mr D. Lloyd George said: "I do not believe war is imminent, ' ut its ferocious grin is just above the horizon. That is why I decided to tell the truth in my memoirs to a generation almost ignorant of war. "We must educate them about its horrors. Such knowledge will not prevent them, if necessary, from being willing to defend a noble cause, but it must be certain that if calamity comes again, it must be for adequate cause. "The frightfulness was not particularly German. Jt is an integral part of war, which means killing, mutilating, drowning, shattering, and starving. In the next war children will be in the front line and the same bombs and the same gap will kill and strangle them as it did their parents. Humanity must not be rushed into war for motives of ambition, racial hatreds, or racial jealousies."

MORE ARMS FACTORIES WANTED MR CHURCHILL'S VIEW ALLEGED UNPREPAREDNESS IN BRITAIN (Received November 11, 5.5 p.m.) ; LONDON, November 9. Mr Winston Churchill, in a speech reviewing world conditions, referred to the armaments debate in the House of Commons and declared that a real enquiry ought to be made into the alarming decline in Great Britain's means of making defence weapons. Should danger come, Great Britain was much less prepared than in 1914, whereas every other large country was prepared on a scale undreamed of in 1914. Every factory in Germany, France,; and Italy was organised to turn | over at a few hours' notice from ] peace to war production, from sew- i ing-machines to machine-guns, from \ motors to tanks, from perfumes to j poison gas, from chemicals to ex-j plosives. , - The whole hideous process had; been studied with infinite care j By pressing a button the whole, of Germany could be turned to the single purpose of producing death-; dealing machinery. ; This was not the moment to break i down the few woefully-shrunken j armament factories which had sur vived the long process of British disarmament It was.absurd to suggest that armament firms over-in-fluenced * Great Britain's foreign PO M7churchill added that Mr Ramsay Mac Donald basted that he had continually reduced the-county.^ _££_■' Mr Mac Donald was now Sing That our vast Empire, who£* weak defences made-ata prey

to hungry rivals, was a new facto in European instability. Mr Churchill concluded by say ing that he intended to move ai amendment to the Air Defence ad dress, giving the House of Com mons an opportunity to face real ities.