AVOIDANCE OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 50, 1 March 1937, Page 11

AVOIDANCE OF WAR

'ONLY ONE WAY OPEN'

STRENGTH IN DEFENCE

(By .Telegraph—Press Association.)

HASTINGS, February 27.

"If we want to avoid v/ar there is only one way open, and that is to be prepared by being so strong that other people will prefer to leave us alone;' said Major-General Sir Andrew Hussell iri an address on defence given to Hastings Rotarians. "It is generally admitted that the League of Nations is crumbling, and the only chance of its success is that it should comprise nations with a pure heart and honest intention of leading peaceful lives." Sir Andrew advocated collective security as a means of defence, but in this connection pointed out it had to be undertaken very thoroughly, even to the extent of New Zealand sending contingents overseas if necessary. Sir Andrew stated that New Zealand was" looked upon as the weakest link in the Empire, but he said he did not think there was any fear of an invasion. There might be raids to weaken the morale of the people, but no country would waste money and ammunition in an invasion. In the. event of New Zealand being unsuccessful in war, all that would probably happen would be that the victors would take the right to enter the country on the same terms as anyone else, and would also demand good trade terms. He expressed the view that corn-j pulsory service might prove worth while, for it was necessary that in_a fighting Power, there should be .efficiency in preference to numbers, and, after all, there could be no objection to compulsory service, for there was now compulsion on all sides for the betterment of all. Sir Andrew added he did not like the word conscription,; but compulsory training was a different ,matter altogether. , ■'