CHAMPION OF EMPIRE

Evening Star, Issue 18534, 17 January 1924, Page 6

CHAMPION OF EMPIRE

m BRUCE’S VIGOROUS SPEECH. BASE AT SINGAPORE VITAL. Press Associaiion--By Olograph—Copyright. LONDON, January 16. (Received January 17, at 11.55 a.m.) Mr Bruce, in a speech at a farewell dinner given by tilie Australian Natives’ Association, contended that the peace of the world or a reduction of armaments would not be promoted by Britain alone disarming. He emphasised the need of ■the dominions having a voice in the Empire’s foreign policy ; but it was necessary, also, that the dominions should shoulder the obligations entailed, and contribute to the defence of the Empire. The time had arrived to determine whether they were going to draw closer the links binding the Empire, or whether the Empire was to gradually break up into several independent nations. The Empire was as essential to Britain as Britain was to the Empire. The strength of the dominions was too often forgotten by Britain. For one great nation to strip itself of the powers of defence and the enforcement of its will was only encouraging other Powers to increase: their armaments. _ | Mr Bruce continued: “We are running straight towards another heavy blunder like the unreasoning reduction of the Air Forco and by the heaitancy_which is being shown in the establishment of the Singapore base. The ratio of 5-5-3 which was fixed by the Washington Conference is non-existent in the Pacific, where, without the Singapore ba.se, Britain would-be unable effectively to put a single capital ship.” Mr Bruce declared emphatically that uailess a base was built in the Pacific Britain would have to abdicate her position as a great naval Power in the Pacific. He pointed out that tho American, Je-pan_ ese, and British naval authorities held that the capital ship was still the determining factor in naval warfare. He contended that the maintenance of the world’s peace depended on the construction of the Singapore base. It would also aid materially in the eventual reduction of armaments throughout the world. Dealing with economic troubles in Britain, Mr Bruce declared, as a result of his recent tour, that the people of Britain did not realise the possibilities of the Empire. He stressed the necessity for stirring their imagination, and urged that the resolutions of the Economic Con'ferenco should bo corned out in their entirely oar the ground of practical expediency, good sense, and Empire unity. Britain could not ha bound; but he was unable to believe that any Government of any shade of political opinion would hesitate to enforce them. —Reuter.