PROGRESS OF BRITISH REARMAMENT

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22610, 16 January 1939, Page 9

PROGRESS OF BRITISH REARMAMENT

“GREATEST EVER ATTEMPTED

IN PEACE-TIME”

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RUGBY, January 14,

Lord Winterton, referring in a speech to the progress of rearmament, said that the Government and the country had been carrying out the greatest strengthening and extension of armed forces ever attempted in peace-time, in addition to a huge and novel scheme of civilian and passive defence. Britain and the Empire as a whole were becoming stronger every day. He hoped that they had no potential enemies, but if there should be any such it would be deplorable if they should fall into the same error as those nations which were ranged against the Empire in 1914. Some of these before August 4 un-der-rated the actual strength and residual power of Britain and the Empire. Discussing the refugee question and the work of the Evian Committee, Lord Winterton said that every sort of human and economic question was involved. Involuntary ihigrants who had come to England or gone elsewhere had not, as some critics suggested, prejudicially affected the employment market. On the contrary, the industrialists among tliem had actually increased. employment <by starting new businesses.

Some 15,000 British people had at least found jobs as a result of the setting up of businesses transferred from Germany because their owners found it impossible on account of their race or religion to remain there. -