Britain’s Defence

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 3

Britain’s Defence

Sir,—“Peace in our time.” These words made world headlines after Mr Chamberlain’s visit to Hitler in a last-minute bid for peace. Before 1938, Britain disarmed and disarmed, following “Individualists” theory to the letter. Germany violated treaty after treaty until 1939, when Hitler announced, “I have' no more territorial claims in Europe.” Within a few months he had overun Poland. His Asian ally eventually attacked British possessions. What “non-military means of defence” would have stopped these murdering, raping, pillaging armies from bombing and torturing millions of innocent people? What peaceful approach would have released the thousands of Allied prisoners suffering a living hell? Your correspondent’s theory, condensed, would read, “Peace at ' any price.” On his admission, I New Zealand as a whole has been spared war; hence his theory. Britain “practised” peace until the ; bombs began to drop. Even com- 1 munism sounds good on paper.— ! Yours, etc., LESLIE JONES. J August 31, 1957.