BRITAIN’S DEFENCE PROGRAMME

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 7

BRITAIN’S DEFENCE PROGRAMME

“Government Will Not Be Intimidated”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 23. Tlie Secretary of State for "War (Mr E. Shinwell), replying lu the debate on defence in the House of Commons to-day, said that the Government had no intention of being intimidated or blackmailed. The nation would do all it could in co-operation with other peace-loving nations to resist aggression.

Mr Shinwell described as unfounded a statement by Mr Oliver Lyttelton (Conservative) that many of the Guardsmen sent to Malaya had only a . few weeks' basic training. During Mr Shinwell’s speech there ' was a shouting match between him ' and Mr R. A. Eden, Deputy-Leader of the Opposition. Mr Shinwell had referred to the changing international situation. and when some Opposition members chuckled. Mr Shinwell demanded angrily: "Is that a subject for ribaldry ” Mr Eden shouted: “We have done our utmost to support the Government’s foreign policy. I resent the tone of your remarks.” Mr Emrys Hughes (Labour) asked whether an Opposition member was allowed to call Mr Shinwell a rat: but Mr Shinwell carried on. accusing the Opnosition of constantly trying to belittle. not only the Government, but the country's defence in the world’s eyes. Defence Minister’s S'peech Britain had an obligation so to maintain her armed iorces that, should a major emergency arise, they could be expanded in order to make a full contribution to collective security, said the Minister of Defence (Mr A. V. Alexander).

“It is a sad fact that our hopes for an early return to peace and orderly conduct in the world have not been realised,” he said. He added that Britain might have to try to build collective security by regional security. “The plain fact is that we have not achieved collective security,” he said. Failure to reach agreement on atomic, energy and conventional armaments had contributed to the lowering of international confidence.

“It has always been our policy that our defence must be based on the principle of collective security, and we have always hoped to be able to build such collective security throifeh the United Nations,” he said. "While putting our whole strength behind me development of the Western Union, wt» do not forget that Britain has a great part to play as the heart and centre of the British Commonwealth, and we must continue to strengthen and improve the effective machinery by which common ideals are translated into a common policy. The whole question of Commomvealth defence will be further explored at the forthcoming Commonwealth Prime Minis*ters’ meeting.” Britain had, at all times, to weigh very carefully the proportion of the resources which could be devoted to the defence services without lowering the country’s economic strength, continued Mr Alexander. "The Government deeply regrets the inconvenience and even hardship to which the three months’ deferment of release may give rise in individual cases, but the circumstances admit no other resolution on the immediate problem,” Mr Alexanler said. “As a result of the Government’s decision, the total strength in the armed forces on January 1, 1949, will be about 825,000. The corresponding figure for April 1, 1949, on the basis of the present plan, will be nearly 790,000. as against the total of 716,000 on which the plan presented in the White Paper on defence last February was based. The. cost of deferring releases over a period of three months in,the present financial year will amount to about £8,000,000.

“Armed Forces Must be Strong” “Hie long-term problem raises great difficulties. If we continue to play our right part in world affairs our. armed forces must be strong and wc must give them the best equipment we can. We are reviewing the problems of the services’ manpower and equipment in the light of changing circumstances and will report further to the House a& soon as possible.” Mr Alexander, giving the recruiting figures for other ranks from April, 1946, to the end of June, said that -the average quarterly intake of 22,600 compared very favourably with the average immediately after the 1914-18 war The position in the Royal Air Force might be particularly serious, since the rate of recruitment had declined in the last two months much more sharply than that of the Army or Navy. It was vital that there should be a step-

ping up of recruitment for the regular forces. It was also vital that within the next few months the strength of the Territorial Army should be increased by 100.000 men and women. The Royal Auxiliary Air Force and the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve wanted an extra 60.000 volunteers. Plans for an emergency recall had been prepared. and the mobilisation machinery overhauled. There would be a scheme for the registration of reserves of men and women with previous experience of anti-aircraft work. Thousands of men and women in the forces were being trained in civil defence duties c xcept fire-fighting. The Civil Defence Joint Planning Staff, in consultation with local authorities, was working out an organisation to enable preparatory measures to be taken. “There will bo new types of armament for the gradual re-equipment of the post-war forces,’’ said Mr Alexander. "We are stepping up production of the latest type of jet intercepj tor fighters to nearly double tile plani ned rate. We are accelerating the rei conditioning of other aircraft. We hope to achieve extra production of aircraft by overtime and additional shifts. The rate of production of new armoured fighting vehicles is being increased. The planned rate of small arms and ammunition production i

bein<r doubled, anti-aircraft ammunition production is being accelerated, and tne Navy programme for fighting ships and reserves is being speeded.” Mr Alexander said that the measures involved some diversion of labour, but he hoped that they would not interfere with civilian production. He could not yet give an estimate of the cost. "We are not taking these measures in any sense of panic.” he said. “We will take whatever steps are needful to give a good account of ourselves in maintaining security.” Opposition Criticism Mr Eden said that Mr Alexander had told the House absolutely nothing new. The Government was carrying its security secrecy too far. “We could contribute to peace most in close collaboration with the other nations of the British Commonwealth and Empire and with Western Europe • together,” said Mr Eden. Satisfactory relations with the East could only be reached if Britain negotiated from strength. The three months’ extension of the national service was a stop-gap measure. Mr Eden said that with the international* situation becoming more serious ’ the Government’s attitude on defence was increasingly confused. The position of the Royal Air Force seemed serious. The Royal Air’Force, between April and July, obtained only 2500 recruits. but to maintain its present strength it needed 50,000 recruits in’ 1949. Mr Eden declared that the figure of 220,000 for the regular Army would have to be raised.

Lyttelton said that the Ministry of Defence was a monument of incompetence and extravagance. For example, the people believed that many of the Guards recently sent to Malav'a had only a few weeks’ training, and some had not completed their weapon training. Mr Lyttelton complained that no plans had been made for mobilisation of industry for an emergency.