EXAMPLE NOT FOLLOWED

Evening Star, Issue 21582, 30 November 1933, Page 9

EXAMPLE NOT FOLLOWED

BRITAIN'S AIR STRENGTH INFERIORITY A DANGER (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. RUGBY, November 29. (Received November 30, at noon.) The British Government's determination to continue to pursue a policy aimed at achieving effective disarmament in the air was repeated in tho House of Lords by tho Marquess of Londonderry (Air Minister). He added emphatically that they could not permit the continuance of Britain’s present inferiority. Lord Londonderry said the policy that tho Government had consistently followed in connection with air disarmament was a sufficient indication that it regarded the jiroblem as one of vital moment. When the* war closed Britain was tho first air power in the world. After the armistice she dispersed the greater part of her vast air fleets, until the country was to-day the fifth only of the world’s air powers in terms of first-line strength. All countries had not made public statements of their current strengths, but official figures were available for France and Britain. In Britain’s case the figure was approximately 850 aeroplanes, while in the French air force tho corresponding figure was about 1,650. According to the available information the Soviet Republic’s figure was between 1,400 and 1,500, and that of the United States between 1,000 and 1.100, and of Italy between 1,000 and 1.100. It was clear that Britain’s example had unhappily elicited no response whatever in any quarter of the world. This was a path which could no longer be followed, and they must, however reluctantly, abandon the policy of unilateral disarmament. The Government had made it plain in successive announcements at Genova that it recognised the need for a one-power standard in tho air for this country. It had offered to go to any length if other nations would do the same. It had indeed stated its willingness to consent to tho complete abolition of military and naval aviation provided only that there could be devised an effective scheme for the international control of civil aviation, which would prevent all possibility of the misuse of civil aircraft for military purposes. It now appeared that there were nations which were not prepared to agree to such abolition, and it was impossible to deny that there were great practical difficulties in the way of such a far-reaching measure, but Britain could not accept continuance of the present inferiority. If painty could not bo secured by reductions elsewhere then the converse of the proposition must follow, and there would bo no option but to begin to build upwards, while continuing the efforts to secure international agreement in fixing parity at the lowest level to which the other nations would subscribe. Lord Londonderry said they must hope that it would be possible to fix the first-line strength for the principal air powers which would neither be a threat to the peace of the world nor impose an intolerable financial burden. Britain and tho Empire as a whole must be made safe in the air, but a race in air armaments should be avoided at all costs. SUGGESTED INCREASE LONDON, November 29. The ‘ Daily Express ’ understands that orders will be given lor the immediate strengthening of Britain’s homo defence Air Force in tho event of the Disarmament Conference failing. The first move will bo to increase the present strength of forty-two squadrons to the fifty-two authorised in 1923.