WEAPONS OF DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 9

WEAPONS OF DEFENCE

DECLINE IN BKITAIN

CONTRAST TO CONTINENT

CHURCHILL'S PICTURE

United Press Association— By Ctectrle Te!*» graph—Copyright. (Received November 10, 1 p.m.) i LONDON, November 9. \ Mr. Winston Churchill, in a speech reviewing world conditions, referred' to the House of Commons arms debate.' He declared that the real inquiry ought to be made into the alarming decline of Britain's means of making defence weapons. Should danger come, Britain' was much less prepared than in 1914, ■» wheieas every other large country was prepared on a scale undreamed of in 1914. Every factory in Germany, France, and Italy was organ* ised to turn over, at a few hours* notice from peace,to war production, from sewing machines >to machine-guns, "from motors to'tanks, from perfumes to poison gas, from chemicals to, explosives. The whole hideous process had been, studied with infinite care. By pressing the button, the whole of Germany could be turned to' the single purpose of producing death-dealing,machinery. This was not the'moment to break i dswn the few , woefully shrunken armament factories which' had sur-' vived the long process of British disaimament. ' It was absurd to suggest that armament, firms had. ever influenced Britain's foreign .policy. Mr. Churchill added that Mr/MacDonald had boasted that he had continually reduced the defences of Britain, hoping that - others would follow. This^had, proved utterly wrong. Mr. Mac Donald Vas novr realising'that a vast empire whose weak defences made it a prey to hungry rivals was a new factor in European instability. Mr. Churchill . concluded by stating that, he intended to move , an amendment to the ' Air' Defence address, giving the House of Commons an opportunity * to face realities, —— . '