BRITAIN’S DEFENCE MEASURES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 92, 12 January 1939, Page 9

BRITAIN’S DEFENCE MEASURES

$ Sir J. Anderson Replies To Criticism (British Official Wireless.) (Received January 11, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, January 10. Sir John Anderson, Lord Privy Seal, in an interview on the subject of the Government’s defence measures, elaborated in certain respects, his recent statements in the House of Commons. Referring to criticisms he had received of the Government’s proposals, he said that some people wrote as if the Government ought to aim at making war safe for civilians. His opinion was that there was only one way of making civilians safe, and that was the avoidance of war. The aim should be, if war occurred, to emerge from it with the least possible hurt to the nation, but to emerge victorious. Dealing with the proposals for a compulsory national register, Sir John expressed the opinion that it would be a useless instrument. The issue of compulsory training was never before the nation and a compulsory register woiild be utterly useless as a means of obtaining recruits.