“Russia Unlikely To Provoke Global War With West”

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28661, 11 August 1958, Page 8

“Russia Unlikely To Provoke Global War With West”

It was impracticable today to defend New’ Zealand, just as it was impracticable to defend Britain, said Air Vice Marshal S. C. Elworthy, in Christchurch last evening.

Air Vice Marshal Elworthy, who is a New Zealander, is in the Dominion on three weeks* leave. He was last here 12 years ago, for six days, and before that 26 years ago, for two weeks. He is staying with relatives and friends in different parts of the country. Any submarine blockade by Russia—including a blockage of the Pacific ocean routes—would be tantamount to throwing down the gauntlet, and that would mean global war.

Present thinking in the Royal Air Force was that global war was out of the question. Russia, it was considered, could gain nothing and lose a great deal. “All she has achieved materially since 1917—and it is considerable —could well be wiped out in such a conflict,” he said.

Air Vice Marshal Elworthy said he saw no end to the cold war. In fact, he thought Russia would take every opportunity to force a breach between the United States and her allies; and she might even instigate minor Conflicts in the Middle East and such areas through her satellites. But Russia herself could not openly enrer such a conflict without precipitating a global war. ‘‘For this reason, our N.A.T.O. deterrent policy is valid. The N.A.T.O. shield policy is to maintain sufficient forces in Europe to make any conflict a possible global conflict. This Russia does not want, and minor conflicts are out of the question in Europe today.”

Accordingly, New Zealand’s defence budget was being well spent in providing forces for service overseas to meet any minor conflicts and to be available, with other Commonwealth forces, in the unlikely event, of global war. Cadet Scheme Withdrawal As commandant of the Royal Air Force Staff College, said Air Vice Marshal Elworthy, he was disappointed to see New Zealand withdraw from the R.A.F. Cranwell cadet scheme.

“It is expensive, because flying today is expensive, but there’ are other wav S you can gain from the R.A.F. experience, through sending officers to the Staff College—l have one New Zealander there now—and to liaison posts in Britain and other parts of the Commonwealth. With these there is no flying.” This inter-change of personnel was most important, and of advantage both to the R.A.F. and Commonwealth Air Forces. He hoped the Dominion would take every opportunity to continue this inter-change of staff.