EMPIRE DEFENCE

Evening Post, Issue 66, 15 September 1936, Page 10

EMPIRE DEFENCE

POSITION TODAY

GRAVE OUTLOOK

PALESTINE THE KEY ?

' Great Britain had gone so far in the interests of peace that her condition today was provocative of war, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., told members of the Wellington Rotary Club when addressing them today on "The Necessity for Defence." He urged them to support the recently-formed New Zealand Defence League and so enable the Dominion to do its share towards the future well-being of the Km- j pire. ....-.- .- .-, ... i The question of defence was vital and fundamental, Mr. Perry said. Twenty-two years ago the nations of i the world found the need of defence, and the history of recent years and recent months showed that the lust for power was still unrepressed in the hearts'.of-.men. He had expressed apprehension a year ago, and he still felt that the Empire was in grave peril. The last war had been one of broken treaties, and the actionis of Germany had been regarded with horror, but what had been done then had become almost commonplace in recent years. Japan, by her invasion of northern China, had violated treaties and had broken others since then. -. In 1932, when Japan was a member of the League of Nations, her delegation returned evasiye answers when questioned about- fortifying mandated islands. ■ In 1935, in defiance of all other nations, Italy invaded Abyssinia, Mr. Perry said, and then Germany violated the Locarno Pact by sending troops into the Rhineland. That had not been done because Germany was smarting under the terms c£ the Peace Treaty, because. Germany had voluntarily entered into that pact. Britain had sent a questionnaire to Germany on the future peace.of Europe, but the German Government had ; not replied. That silgnce and the actions of Germany and Italy were ominous, he said, and it appeared that Britain did not carry the weight she used to have in the council of nations. GREAT BRITAIN'S POSITION. Great Britain had pursued a policy of unilateral disarmament and by doing so had become so weak that the Empire's position was provocative of war. Great Britain had entered a naval pact with the United States and Japan with the result that her naval power had declined. Despite the protests of Beatty; and Jellicoe, who said Britain required 70 cruisers, Britain had only 35 or 40. When the Navy was considered in the light of the supplies in Britain, and the need for interEmpire trade, it must be realised that therein was Britain's vulnerable point. Britain had been within a few weeks of starvation during the last war and had been, near losing the war, although ; she had. a two-Power Navy at that time. If Germany had won the war New Zealand and- Australia would have become German colonies. The position had become'so serious that Britain had been, forced to ask leave to retain 40,000 tons of obsolete ships.

Such deplorable weakness was provocative of war because Britain could not enforce her wishes for peace. Both the Navy and Army were much weaker than- in 1914, when the Army was so weak that the war was greatly prolonged. -Britain was also, fifth of the nations in the air.

These were; the risks. Britain, had taken for peace, Mr. Perry, said, and now. the position had become such that there was imperative need for.rearming. , He referred to what had already been done in Great. Britain. Three; hundred million pounds had been voted for dwience, but £1,300,000,000 was nearer the figure required to -repair the gaps, in Britain's armour. The mere fact that Britain had re-embarked on a policy of arming showed ■ how serious the position was. .• .■.•..' ■ ■'...",•'■■:■ POSITION IN- PALESTINE. Referring to the state of affairs in Palestine, Mr. Perry said no man could foresee -the position that might grow up there within the next 12 months. He surgested in all seriousness that men from New Zealand might , be travelling towards Palestine within that time. , A letter he had received from General Sir Andrew Russell suggested that Palestine would be the key position to the international situation in Europe. ' The position now was that Britain was re-arming, South Africa had removed her objections to a naval base at Cape Town, Canada was concentrating on defence, Australia was doing everything possible to form the skeleton of a modern army, and New Zealand wouldhave to do her share if she wanted to keep her place in the British Commonwealth of Nations. The position in' New Zealand .was deplorable. He "took his hat off" to the men who, in the face of discouragement, had done their best' to keep' a volunteer army going, but there was need for the citizens to get behind the volunteer movement and encourage the young nien of New Zealand to learn how to defend, their country. Rotarians could help in many ways to encourage ; the young men to learn the use of arms in defence of the democracy they enjoyed. Democracy would not survive by reason of its own virtue, and unless the citizens of the country were prepared to make sacrifices to protect it, it would perish.,