PREVENTION OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 92, 20 April 1931, Page 6

PREVENTION OF WAR

EELIANGE ON LEAGUE

FOOLISH FOR BRITISH

"There are more trained soldiers in. Europe- than ever before," said Sir James Paw in an interview with a "Post"/reporter to-day. "Ho would lie a foolish Briton indeed who would relyon any League of Nations to prevent war. That is my belief after four # years' experience of - ( Geneva, though I think that in many respects the Leaguo of' Nations has amply justified its creation by the good work it lias done. - • "Hitherto the disarmament has all been done by one country. The British Army and Navy has been cut to the bone. In my opinion, the naval reductions made as the result of the recent London Conference have reduced our cruiser strength much below .the safety ratio. The only navy_ which has been seriously reduced is the British Navy. The great trade routes are no longer safe for us. Men like Jollicoo and Beatty who know their Job, know it. I was at the Geneva Naval Conference in 1928 which proved abortive. It was abuntantly proved that we need at least 70 cruisers to police the high seas and safeguard Empire trado. Now, the British Government has agreed to reduce them to 50, which expert opinion considers a colossal blundex*. ' "One thing lias been to the credit i)l: Mr. ivrmisay MncDonald and his Foreign 'Mi ii is I or, Mr. Henderson, ami Ihiil, is that they liavo lately brought ;i)u)Ul- ;iu understanding between-Jlaly and France. It may yet help us with regard to submarines. Notwithstanding recant, additions to our strength, we are stall only the fourth air Power in the world."