The Dominion. MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1914, THE PRICE OF SAFETY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2110, 30 March 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1914, THE PRICE OF SAFETY.

ml NoTwiTHSTAUBixG. the fact that the ™. national finance , of Fv&aee has not been in a thoroughly satisfactory state for some time past, the paramount claim &£ defence has compelled th« Government to make further additions to the country's naval and military expenditure. Some people may think that the enormous outlay on armaments on , s the part'of the great Powers is WK&ed and wasteful, but self-preser-vation is the first law of life, and _ no nation can i-isk its very existence in order to satisfy that desire for economy which always appeals strongly to a certain typo of mind. To sacrifice security for the sate of economy is the sheerest folly. The id prieo of safety must be paid, how . ever great the burden may bo. A u - .cablegram which we publish in another column states that tl« Freflci IS. Ctember of Deputies has just isasset: a Bill empowering the Ministers oi ~ War and Marine to incur ion-Eft-earring expenses totalling no less a sum than nearly £8Q,00Q,0.0q lot ." nafci-enal defence.. This is ah astonishingly large figure, even if sprc-at Y. m*e-r a ntrmber- of years—so- latgo, f-, indeed., that, one is inclined to thinti that them may be some mistake in ie the cablegram, That sneh special ie measures should be confrider-ed" tj sary.is a iiwst significant indication of the unsettled state of interns-.-U tional affairs, and gives a much truei insight into the European sitnatta than the War scares that are period- - kally stirred _iij> by a -section- of the Press in v«ri6«s cottntr-bs, for if shows what respoiisible statesmen really think regarding- the- possibilities vi war. The Ea-dieaJ-Soeiaiist a Government whifh is at present guiding the destinies of trance has , no feire to increase .military ex,- ■ ?end ; !tu:re.. Its sympathifis aje'pi'p' iably in th» other direotion, <ia 'tho Socialist section of the cemtnunitj as dcotleidjjr antj-mifitiirisfc h ■ its policy; but even the most Radical Govern-tneflt must take ,the precautions necessary far the ■ ii-ation's safety, in view of- the-fact that neigh-bourin-g Powers are continually - strenKthenl&g their wa»s -of- attack, ih« Fren-eh authorities Wer<s- recently compelled to iticnmse the period' ol i military service from two to thre? _ years. The party at present in ■■ power js not ealhasiastkally in i-avout of this step, and j-fc is o^en stated that there.is. a strong .desire f, among its supporters for thfr repe-ai ~ or modificAtion of the three-yea-* SJ'S^ :«m. This cjuestion will no doubt nave a, considerable i-nflutsnee on the :„ result of the lorthcpmihg general a clectipn, which is expected to prove ■a very intereatra-j;. trial of strength ; -between: the fe,sntl : y-forined pWty tinder the leadership, of M. Hriaus _; and the ItartMal-Soeialtst. com'bjnaton frh..i,oh has for many years do.roinatdd p.oh.ti.ca| lifq ia France; jf. . t β-riasjj and his followers claim to i-epj'e-ssnt tk new spirit oina%nas- - which has been a g-rowi-nR- lorcefop some .years-.. It js now fully -eonmioM t>l its. Btrett,gth, and was Wr^W^siM 6 for the eieclion. ' f'l tp-the Prcs-iden-ci' o! . te Itepitbhc. It a3ms at uniting afi . the best ekmanfe <>f the papulation -, against the a.nt.i-na,t'ioßalist and' re- ? volutionary ft-ovomonts- Which have ■ done so much to ujidernvine' ttfe eta* ? . bmfcy ox the nation.. This party of , 3 unity and appeasement stands, fqt a strong foreign-po-H-cVi and to effi.cieiifc ■ army and navy, ■without which the «a-M-oti eaftnofcespactto excr-eise a patent lefl-itcnce ...yi th«s. cou-ndis of the- • PO.wera The recottt outbin-gt of hos- ' tiJity between Russia and. Oermaijy, ; and % knowledge that the, Baiw joviWe has not- yet been fiuaUy s^ tied are unpleasaflt reminders e£ ' the imperatitc seed for readiness' for any emergency that may.' avisoand the- teeogmtm. oi th'es© and ', other simito facts has imp.M.ssed u|iop. the Government the neeessity of. iherea-sing the-, expenditure en- ' nationa-j .defence, . .