NATIONAL SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 23175, 26 January 1939, Page 21

NATIONAL SERVICE

PREPARATION FOR EMERGENCIES UNDIVIDED SUPPORT FOR CAMPAIGN (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, January 23. (Received January 26, at 11 a.m.) A universal call to national service is addressed to tho nation in Mr Chamberlain’s foreword to the National Service Guide, the delivery of which began to-day. He writes: “ The desire of all of us is to live at peace with our neighbours. But to secure pence we must be strong. The country needs your service, and if you are anxious to play your part this guide will point the way.’ There is also a foreword by Sir John Anderson, who urges: “If your wish to live at peace with all peoples is to bo fulfilled we must make ourselves strong, so our influence for peace may be real, and we must make ourselves safe so others cannat be tempted to thoughts of aggression against us.” The appeal for national service has the fullest support of all sections of the community, and all political parties were represented at the inaugural rally at the Albert Hall, at which tho Lord Mayor of London presided. It was attended by 9,000 people, including volunteers for all the civilian defence services drawn from every London borough. Sir John Anderson, who was the principal speaker, emphasised that “ the preparations we are making do not mean we expect war. While wo have, unfortunately, to reckon with the possibility of war, we do not expect war either now or in the near future. We hope it may never come, but we recognise the surest method of averting war is to he prepared.”