LABOUR PARTY AND ARMAMENTS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 46, 18 November 1936, Page 5

LABOUR PARTY AND ARMAMENTS

| Dr. Hugh Dalton’s Candid Speech “BRITISH SECURITY HAS GONE” Speaking at the Labour Party’s conference at Edinburgh recently,. Dr. Hugh Dalton, M.P., strongly criticised the National Government’s armaments and foreign affairs policies. He opened a general debate by moving the executive’s resolution declaring that the armed .strength of the countries loyal to the League of Nations must be conditioned by the armed strength of the potential aggressors. “'l’he conference reaffirms the policy of the Labour Party to maintain such defence forces as are consistent with our country’s resjxmsibility as a member of the League of Nations, the preservation Of the people's rights anil liberties, the continuance of democratic institutions and the observance of international law. . “Realising the relationship between foreign policy and armaments, and having regard to the deplorable record of the Government, the Labour laity declines to accept responsibility for a purely competitive armaments policy. It reserves full liberty to criticise the rearmament programme of the present Government, and declares the continuance of vested interests in the private manufacture of arms to be a grave contributory danger to the peace of t "°Dr. Dalton said: "I am to speak bluntly and clearly. I believe this conference is in a mood for plain speaking and clear thinking. » “Many millions of British people today are wavering and perplexed in tbeir political allegiance, and it is the duty of this party to tell the British people just where we stand and just where a Labour Government wou.d stand. It is our duty to tell foreign nations the same things. “In 1931 ’this country was secure. That was five years ago. To-day it is a different world. To-day there is thought of war and fear of war in every land and fear of war in. the hearts of millions of mothers of the citizens of the future.

“Uve years ago Britain was secure in the military, naval and air sense. To-day British security has gone. Collective security has not been organised, and our insular security is. finished with the growth of great air forces within a few hours’ flying distance of our cities on the Continent of Europe. This is the situation. “In this most dreadful situation — which is quite new since five years ago when Labour left office and this crowd came in—in this most dreadful situation those who have held office during those five years have a crushing responsibility which they cannot escape either now or in the eye of history. “Hereafter they will go down to history—those ornaments of the National Government —as a group of men who failed to take their chances —and great chances they were—-who failed to do their duty, who broke their election pledges, who nearly killed the League of Nations —although yet we may be able to revive it—and who, by their ineptitude, have destroyed British security and exposed our country to new and deadly perils. I’hat will be their tombstone in the graveyard of statesmen.

“I must particularise,” said Dr. Dalton. “The sly evasions of Sir John Simon, the prim pretences of Sir Samuel Hoare, the feeble amiability of Mr. Eden, the lazy lack of leadership of Mr. Baldwin, the senile vanity of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald—all these have contributed to the present plight of our country and the world. “I leave the noblest to the end. Was it not Loi’d Londonderry himself who boasted, although with the utmost difficulty, that he had preserved the use of the bombing aeroplane? “He has preserved it. He has preserved it for Hitler and. for Mussolini. Bombers over Abyssinia yesterday I Bombers over Spain to-day I Will it be bombers over Britain to-morrow? That will be a proud day for Lord Londonderry, if it conies.” The central brute fact iu Europe was German armaments. Never before in history in years of peace had any nation built up in so short a time so formidable a mass of instruments of war.

.“Facing all the facts, I say to this conference that I cannot exclude from among the many dreadful possibilities that .surround us a direct attack on this country.

“In planning the collective security by which this party stands, it is just as necessary for us to inquire who would come to our help were we attacked.”

The Labour Barty conference had always opposed unilat.erial disarmament, and lie found it difficult iu logic to believe’ that the conference could support unilateral non-armament in a world where all were increasing their armaments.

“A Labour Government, if it came into power to-morrow and was faced with the present world situation, pending an international agreement to reduce ,and limit armaments, vyould be compelled to provide an increase in British armaments.”

British armaments must be part of a planned system of collective security. They bad to make sure that aggression if attempted would not succeed, but if they were going to bar the aggressor they must provide sure means for reasonable consideration and settlement of grievances and claims. “1 believe.” he added, “the time has passed for vague humbugging phrases. The time has come for courage.

“The time has come when wc must get rid of vague, mushy generalities, and come down to a precise, clear-cut policy.”