IMPERIAL DEFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 25993, 7 January 1947, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE

Vital Queries for Britain Effects, of World Changes Present Policy Imposes Great Strain . ■ ■ ■■ i (From A. W. Mitchh*, N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) (Eec. 10.30 a.m.) „ LONDON, January 6. The British Cabinet is expected to review in the near future the important subject of military commitments. In a review of international affairs ‘ The Times ’ recently remarked that the commitments which Britain was shouldering in Germany, Indiai Indonesia, Palestine, and Greece impose a strain on her resources in man power, material, and foreign exchange which is increasingly difficult to reconcile with the imperative requirements of recovery and reconstruction. f Remarking that while Cabinet is known to be anxious to reduce them at an early date, ‘ The Times ’ added that the trend of events appeared to point for reinforcement rather \ than retrenchment. “ If the strain,” the paper said, “ is not to become intolerable, and if the resources are not to be overtaken by the demand upon them, a fresh examination of policy in at any rate some of these regions will almost certainly be called for.”

These commitments, together with the subject of Imperial defence as a whole, will be the chief concern of Mr A. V. Alexander, the new Minister of Defence, who, in the approaching months, will be busily engaged in forming bis new department on the lines set out in the White Paper of last October. . It is reasonable to support that, once his department is in full working

order, there may be renewed consultations with the dominions on Imperial defence. During the discussions among the Commonwealth Prime Ministers last year in London it was tacitly agreed that the 'dominions should bear a greater, share of the cost. But so far the subject has not been further pursued, although there have been certain developments, for instance the establishment of a rocket range in Australia. '

Co-operation With America

Interest has been added to the whole question of Britain’s commitments and her defence policy by recent reports that she and America are rapidly completing plans for land, sea, and air cooperation. This do-operation is designed, it is stated, against the possibility of the two countries being involved in another war, in which event the forces of both nations, trained and equipped under a standardised system, would be enabled to move into action under one supreme commander. ;

r Though official reticence is at present being maintained on this report, it would appear that there is much ground for believing in its general trend, particularly in view of the exchange of air force officers, which, it is announced, will take place between the two countries. Furthermore, Mr Attlee, in the House of Commons debate of November 18, agreed that there should be collaboration with the American General Staff since the two countries were occupying Europe jointly.

The Taxpayers' Share

The cost of Britain’s Armed forces throughout the world is not light, and for the current year is considerably higher than in prewar year*. The total'estimates for the current year ending in April, Including the three services and the Ministry of Supply, are £1,880,500,000, compared with £379,000,000 in 1938-39. Any major, reduction in this load after demobilisation is completed depends either upon an improvement in general - world conditions, _ the probability of the dominions taking an increased share, or upon disarmament, the latter subject 'being one of those recently discussed by the United Nations. Though Britain would welcome disarmament on moral and economic grounds, there seems to be a general feeling that any unilateral action by her at the moment would be, to say the least, premature. Britain’s pre-sent-attitude on the subject is indicated by the decision to retain military conscription in peace time for the first time in her history. Conscription is by no means popular, but

the country has not forgotten the hollow days of Ramsay -MacDonald, and the final - rearmament rush ending in Britain fighting for a year by herself. It Is also borne in mind that the peace treaties with Germany and Japan have not yet been dis- - cussed, and that no ■ system of military security has been established under the United Nations, while the whole subject of atomic energy remains a mass of queries. Among Other things Britain has yet to make up her mind » whether control of the Mediterranean is still absolutely necessary to Imperial security, and she also has to take into account the in- / tentions of India and 1 the gradual forming of what is called the P new Asia.”

This i‘ new Asia ” is seen to be rising directly out of the war and embraces, in addition to Egypt and India, Transjordan, Iraq, Syria, Burma, the Dutch East Indies, Korea, and lndo-China —all countries claiming freedom and independence, whose claims make fresh impressions on the whole conception of Imperial defence.