REORGANISED DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 26, 31 July 1933, Page 6

REORGANISED DEFENCE

(To the Editor.)

Sir,-Mr. G. H. Wilkiu says: "The disarmament policy . . . has been responsible for thousands of men being thrown out of work." Taken to its logical conclusion, his argument issues as-follows: "The war should not have ended in 1918, because (a) millions of men were kept in constant employment thereby; (b) their families were provided for; (c) the countries involved throbbed with activity during 'the war." Thus extended, the argument becomes more clearly insupportable, even ludicrous when applied further. For instance, the' Plunket Society has reduced infant mortality in New Zealand to the lowest in the world. But it has thereby deprived > undertakers of a rapid turnover. Let ns away with such a profitspoiler!—l am. etc., A. C. HARRINGTON. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent My. P. M. Hutchison sees lit to take me to task over my attitude to the proposal to reorganise our defence system. No doubt your correspondent is aware that the quotation used by him, "The strong man armed kecpeth his house," is an extract from the Bible and is found in Luke 11, verse 21. His use of it out of its contest' entirely alters the teach'iug, as the following verse s>oes on to say: "But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth hie spoils." Surely there could be no stronser teaching on the futility of increasing armaments: history has proved its truth. The result of such a policy is a mad race between the nations, each endeavouring to outstrip the other. r gladly agree that Great Britain has set an example to the other nations in its honouring of the spirit of various disaimauient resolutions, but that is no reason why it should cease to do bo now, nor is it any reason, why this country of viva should not continue to carry out in spirit the disarmament proposals that are engaging the attention of the leaders of the world. The interpretation of developments m the East is largely a product of vivid imaginations. Why raise issues that only engender suspicion and mistrust between the' countries? Let-us take a positive action and endeavour to promote goodwill between them.—l am, etc., NATHAN K. SEDDON.