WILL SEEK PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 24

WILL SEEK PEACE

BRITAIN jfTERMINED

k CHAMBERLAIN REFLECTS

THE DEFENCE BUDGET

i;!' Mr. Neville Chamberlain, Chancellor Ipfthe Exchequer, .speaking at the animial meeting of the Midland Union <bf Conservative" and Unionist Associations at Birmingham, reports "The ;Times" of January SO, said that during their long reign King George V and <3ueen Mary had continually increased their hold on the loyalty and affec-tion.-.of their subjects, and he thought that they all recognised in the new Sovereign the same spirit of patriotic !and unselfish devotion tp the public ;s<srvice. He trusted that the present year would prove to be the beginning of'a reign as long-and as happy and ■glorious as that of any of their Majesties' predecessors.

.'■•ln any - survey- ; of - the present outlook (Mr. Chamberlain said) one natujally turned to countries overseas, because it was from that quarter that ;they expected squalls, if squalls there were' likely to be. "We have in Europe been living so long in an atmosphere of uneasiness and anxiety,',' he went.on, "that it. is difficult to get

rid of the impression that some crisis is lying in wait for us, ready to spring upon us when*we'least expect.it. Yet, if we look,round, .there are.some definite features .on...which we .can look with satisfaction.- The recent,: agreement betweeri^the' Italian Governmen and our own has done a great deal to dissipate the ill-feeling which . has arisen out of effort," to fulfil our. obligations', under (the Covenant of the league of Nations. It has not, indeed, jitought any new or startling developments with it, but it has removed a good; many : misunderstandings and suspicions and, so far from giving rise to any difficulties or doubts in the minds ,of others,. we find that it has already had,'a .steadying effect all round. the shores of the Mediterranean.". 1 THE SPANISH CONFLICT. j?.Onthe,.Spanish, situation Mr. Chamberlain r^aidVthat the Government had been'caused1, increasing anxiety, for many months because ■ of. the undisguised participation's in ■ the' conflict of tjie'nationals of other -countries, both iftt the form of the supply of munitions aid of the actual presence of combatants belonging to various other countries. It had'been the object of the unremitting efforts both of the French Government and of our own to try to take measures ip confine the struggle tb: Spain "itself, and to prevent the hostilities. ; Lord Plymouth, chairman .of the Non-intervention Committee, had tfeen engaged with an increasing measure of success in working out a scheme by which foreign .importations, whet&er of material or people, might in fixture be controlled. (When they added to that the recent responses of Germany and Italy to the request made by the British Government that they should 1 collaborate in efforts to stop the further dispatch of volunteers to Spain, and the responses already obtained from other countries, he thought there was some fair hope ofs our really making progress in the direction we desired. They wanted tb (leave to Spain herowmfate and her own;decision as to the kind of Government which she was to "hay decision which would probably turn out to be in favour of neither a Fascist nor a Communist Government, but one suited to the special temperament of the Spanish people. HITLER'S CHANCE. "With the partial relaxation of our anxiety about Spain," continued Mr. Chamberlain, "I hope it may be possible for us to devote more attention to'one of the major objects of British foreign policy—namely, the attainment of! general European settlement. I understand that Herr Hitler tomorrow is ? expected to make an important speech containing probably an extended reference to foreign affairs. I do pot intend to attempt to anticipate wht^t he may say, but it is self-evident that, as the leader, and the spokesman of one of.the most powerful and influential nations in Europe, he has got it in his own- power to make an irivaluable; contribution to that settlement. If he should feel able to do so, I am quite certain his words will find a warm response in this country.

"I have my own special reasons for most earnestly and anxiously desiring to see some relaxation of; the tension in Europe. At the present time we are engaged upon the complete re-equip-ment of our three fighting services and on-the modernisation of our defences at home and oversea; That has necessitated our embarking upon by far the largest programme of defence that has ever been undertaken in time of peace, which is involving us in the expenditure of hundreds of millions upon munitions and weapons which produce no economic return, and which, indeed, have the inevitable effect of diverting our industries from ; more desirable activities. I believe that that course is absolutely essential.

"We have, indeed, ass long as circumstances are what they are, no choice in ;the matter. We aresscarrying on that work with the full approval of the country, and I believe the country is.convinced, as I am myself,njhat our strength, which.. is now rapidly increasing every day, is the:best bulwark fori peace that .can-Tie conceived! But j|S I watch the-figures. : mounting up, as'l reflect upon the "growing cost of ihe maintenance. of this yast panopy

when we have completed it, I cannot help being impressed by the incredible folly of civilisation, which is piling these terrible burdens on the shoulders of the nations—burdens which, if something is not done to reduce them, are bound to pull down the standard of living 'for a generation to come. "GRIM ALTERNATIVE." "Out of this strange conflict of suspicion and anxiety, of genuine hardship and fancied grievances with which Europe is beset, it is very difficult to distinguish between the political and economic factors which are at work. But if the problem were an economic one alone, if there were only a general confidence that the easing of. the economic difficulties would not bring up a fresh crop of more dangerous political activities and ambitions, then our tasks would be infinitely easier and the readiness to make the necessary sacrifices would be far more' apparent than it is today.

"As far as this Government is concerned, our view has been - expressed in a number of speeches with admirable courage, and clarity by the Foreign/Secretary, Mr. Eden. That is what he means when he says that political appeasement and economic collaboration are necessary if we are to make progress towards that general settlement at which we are aiming. For my part, in face of that grim alternative which I put before you of ever-rising burdens of taxation, I cannot but believe that the requisite good will and determination will be forthcoming to bring up some relief in both directions. We are trying, as

and when we find an opportunity, to make our . contribution towards that settlement, both by precept, and by practice." , '■ :■ ■.-. .•,. .;.•.;•■.■.'.-■•.

;.Referring■ to thej'r.ecent i ;thr.eerP,o,\v : er currency declaration by Great.yßritairi; France, and the United States, ' Mr. Chamberlain said that by that we had taken a step in the right direction, and if only it could be followed up by further measures definite progress might be made tbwards mitigating the restrictions on trade and exchange which had added so greatly to the difficulties of Europe. , ,

Some disappointment had been expressed that the progress had.not been greater, and. he confessed that; it had not gone very' far at present. But he believed that the delay was ■• due only to some temporary difficulty, and i it might be taken from the almost-uni-.versal expressions of. approval ..which those declarations called for that further .'developments would follow in &de course. • . . ■ .. . ..A.... : v v IMPROVED CONDITIONS. In the meantime, the industrial situation in this country continued to show satisfactory improvement. In the Midlands he believed it to be true that it was enjoying a greater prosperity than had ever been known in the recollection of living 'people. No doubt there entered into that activity the increasing effects of the armaments orders, but he would add a warning to some that had already been uttered on that question. The stream of orders now proceeding from Service departments would not last for ever—at least, he hoped not. Some day they would come to an end, and it would be necessary to find something to put in their place. He hoped, therefore, that, though it might not always be convenient to remember oversea customers, they would not be forgotten, that efforts would be "made to keep up that connection when they, even at this time, were so busy at home. If we did that, he was sure we should have our reward in future when, we should.be glad enough to receive any orders they could give us to keep our factories employed and our workmen off the unemployment register. INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY. "I do not suppose (he went on to say) that the armaments programme has even yet taken what I would call a prominent place in general industrial activities.. It is growing all the time, but it is still only a fraction of the total production from our mills and factories. I believe that the prospects of industry for this coming year are as bright as I have ever known, and. I have little doubt that 1937 will break many records in output in industry in many directions.

"Even the Special Areas are now beginning to feel some effect from this general activity. The best hope of the Special Areas is that we should be able to induce new industries to start in these districts, and the Government are constantly at work trying to de vise new methods of attracting these new industries. • Although, perhaps,

it will not revive them to their former prosperity, in the meantime the accumulated effects of all the measures we have been applying for the last few years are producing results, the magnitude of which, I think, is hardly realised by the country as a whole."

The Government, he added, would be introducing into Parliament new measures extending operations in the Special Areas before very long, and when they did that they would be able to give the House of Commons some figures showing orders already placed.in these areas for armaments and other things. They would show also commitments entered into by the Special Areas Commission for the future, which would present a far more satisfactory appearance than anything they had been able to say on that subject hitherto. PHYSICAL FITNESS. Referring to the Government's plans for improving the physical fitness of the nation Mr. Chamberlain said that he was gratified at the universal and enthusiastic approval which followed his announcement at Margate last October. Young people today, he said, had far more leisure than was given to their fathers and grandfathers. Per-