BRITAIN'S AIR DEFENCES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22392, 4 May 1938, Page 11

BRITAIN'S AIR DEFENCES

Alleged Muddle And Waste PUBLIC PROTEST BY BANKERS? Alarm Felt at Lack Of Progress (UNITED PEESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHT.) (Received May 4, 1 a.m.) LONDON, May 3. The city editor of the "Daily Mail" says bankers and financial circles are alarmed at the lack of progress in the air rearmament programme and are privately discussing action to impress their misgivings upon the Government. It is even suggested that a manifesto should be presented, similar to the manifesto of 1931, which called on the Labour Government to retrench expenditure and re-establish credit.

It is understood the bankers' consideration of a public protest is attributable to the reluctance of the aircraft industry to speak out because of the possibility of contravening the Official Secrets Act. Nevertheless there are many allegations of muddle and waste. The "News-Chronicle" in the same way alleges inadequacy and muddle in the air defence preparations, adding that the civilians are still virtually defenceless. "If war were to break out," states the "News-Chronicle, "the Government would be unable to give warning of the approach of air raiders, as the necessary sirens have not been manufactured, and air-raid shelters for people caught in the streets are non-existent. The suggested system of trenches in parks and open spaces is still incomplete on paper, and the fire-fighting system is still not ready, as volunteers are lacking. "Although France and Germany are enforcing laws that new buildings shall with specificationsproviding protection against fire and bomb splinters, the British Government for three years has watched the building of hundreds of blocks of flats and offices of which only a fraction contain air-raid precautions."