CLEAR POLICY WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 78, 29 September 1930, Page 8

CLEAR POLICY WANTED

As one member of the Cabinet, the' Minister of Defence cannot fairly be saddled with the whole blame for the Government's no-defence policy. If is a part of Government policy," and all members must take their share of the blame. But Mr. Cobbe alone is responsible for the highly unsatisfactory way in which that policy is being handled. He appears most reluctant to afford the House and the country any information. At the start lie withheld an official announcement of.the Government's in-' tentions, and made a show of secrecy of a policy which had already been put into operation. Now, when he' is questioned on that policy, Ills answers are most unsatisfactory. He,, either does not know or will not tell ] what is to be done with the trained Defence staff. Surely he should i have something definite to say," for if,' as has been slated, the suspension of training is a temporary economy, measure, the Government must have , some plans for retaining a trained stafF so that operations may be recommenced. Or is there no inten-! lion of re-commencing? Is the "tern-, po'rary suspension" really permanent abolition? Again, much was made in Parliament of the test of volunteering . that would be made; but when the Minister was asked whether all who were ready to continue training as volunteers were allowed to do so he evaded the question. Mr. Jordan asked if there were an attempt on the part of, the "junkers of this country to interfere with a voluntary system at the very start." The Minister should know, !and he should say. If the Government is prepared to encourage voluntary training, what form is that encouragement taking?