AN ALARM SOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 301, 16 September 1936, Page 7

AN ALARM SOUNDED

Time of International Crises NECESSITY FOR DEFENCE ■—— _• J ; At the Wellington Rotary Club’s luncheon yesterday the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C-, sounded an alarm when he addressed the members on the vital matter of defence. He reminded his hearers of the shock which had been administered to the world 22 years ago when .was initiated the greatest'war of all time. Turn to the events of recent months, he said, and they would see that the passions, avarice and lust for power remained unrestrained forces in the heart of men. How grave was the situation .to-day was perhaps better realised when they remembered the German uprising, the horrors of the Belgian invasion, and the regarding of sacred treaties as so many scraps of paper. That sort of thing was .now almost commonplace. Mr, Perry traced what had been taking place internationally in recent years. The seizing of Manchuria by Japan, although both she and' China were members of the League of Nations, and the failure of Japan’s undertaking not to fortify mandated territories, were quoted as proofs of the breakdown of international morality. Then "in 1930 Italy’s Invasion of Abyssinia was another humiliation for the League of Nations and, more particularly, the British Empire. On top of that came Germany’s invasion of the Rhineland; in violation of the Locarno Pact, which had been voluntarily promoted by Germany. Only on May 23 of this year the British authorities had forwarded a questionnaire to Hitler on matters concerning the peace of Europe, which had never been answered. His Majesty’s representative at Berlin had been asked not to request, an answer again. That was entirely ominous, and together with the rapprochement of Germany and Italy sufficient to engender considerable alarm. It also conveyed to many the belief that the voice of the British nation did not count so much with the nations as it did in the past Since the war Great Britain Jiad gone forward with her policy of unilateral disarmament, until her very weakness c was provocative of war. Had England been as strong on the sea last, year as she was in 1914, Mr. Perry said, Mussolini would have been told to keep his hands off Abyssinia, and he would have

done so. . It was Great Britain’s deplorable weakness in defence which made her count for so little in the council of the nations to-day. The British Army was weaker than it was in 1914, and God knew, it was weak enough then. Had England been prepared on that occasion, and been able to put 500,000 men in the field instead of 150,000, the chances were that the war would have been over before the Russian collapse. England ranked fifth or sixth as regards air forces. There, again, on account of the great risks she took for peace she had .Created a great risk for war. Now the British Empire was rearm- - ing, and the necessity for speed had been emphasised recently by Sir Samuel Hoare. Priority was being given rearmament work everywhere by the British Government. .England bad been on the very brink of war early this year, when the question of war or no war turned upon a feather. The situation had impressed upon the British Government the necessity of rearming, and it was now proceeding at a feverish pace. Affairs in Palestine. Mr. Perry also referred to the peril that lay in the affair with the Arabs in Palestine, where 12,000 troops had been sent during the past week. No one could forecast the issue there. It was conceivable that within six or 12 months the overseas Dominions might be sending troopships to Palestine. Only recently Mr. Perry said he had received a letter from Sir Andrew Russell, V.C.. pointing out the seriousness of affairs in Palestine and forecasting that this country would ultimately be the key position to European intrigue. Mr. Perry said he looked with suspicion on the meeting of Germany and Italy over Austria. Was there a bargain made? Was Germany to be allowed to convert Austria into a German State, in return for which Italy was to be allowed a free hand in the Mediterranean? Finally the speaker mentioned that in New Zealand they should take steps to be prepared for eventualities. The volunteer movement, which now depended on a couple of thousand enthusiasts, should be raised 12,000 at once. Young men should be taught the use and practice of arms in order to defend the country, and they should show their appreciation of those officers and men w’bo were still taking an interest in military work. There were always trophies, cups and shields in plenty for all the cricket, football, tennis and bowling elubs of New Zealand. He begged that those in a position to do so should donate more trophies to those engaged in military work, and so show their approval of the manner in which they were sticking to their jobs. At the present time New Zealand was practically defenceless. That should be remedied as speedily as possible. and the youth of the country should be taught some pride in wearing the King’s uniform. The fate of New Zealand might be settled on the Medl-‘ terranean or in the North Sea, as easily as it might on Paekakariki Hill, but if they were all ready it would not be settled without a fight. With that in mind a New Zealand Defence League had been formed, for which Mr. Perry earnestly sought support.

(Radio Notes and Programmes on page 13.) 99999999999999999999999999