WAR AND THE SOLDIER

Evening Star, Issue 21993, 1 April 1935, Page 3

WAR AND THE SOLDIER

SIR lAN HAMILTON'S OPINION

General Sir lan Hamilton recently laid a wreath on the _ spot where eighteen children were killed during a daylight air raid in June, 1917, at the corner of North street, Poplar. In a speech to the local British Legion he declared; “Go on improving arms; go on preparing to kill babies, and you will put an end to the wars of the future. Your little martyrs of Poplar have taken the first big step.” He said tha.t British delegates to. Genova had been busy for eighteen months now pursuing the phantom of disarmament and pin-pricking other nations all the time. “If they only knew the spirit of their own fighting men they .would realise the delight with which the British soldier and his officers would bear that machine guns were abolished, that poison gas was outlawed, and that we were now free to get back to bnttieaxes. They would realise that disarmament' and peace have nothing to do with one another. For war to .take on again its old

romance anil glory we must have disarmament.” There was no satisfaction to the fighting man in firing at .something lie could not see, or in being wounded by someone he could not see. Therefore, if armaments went on upon present linos the fighting spirit which was at the root of all wars would very soon receive its quietus.