ARMS LOAN APPROVED

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1937, Page 7

ARMS LOAN APPROVED

LABOUR’S LAST KICKS DEFENCE OF OVERSEAS (BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.] LONDON, February 18. The House of Commons passed the resolution giving authority for the raising of up to £400,000,000 for defence, by loans or budget surpluses, by .329 votes to 145. “There is no need to embroil the Dominions in defence discussions,” said Sir Thomas Inskip (Minister for the Co-ordina.tion of Defence), towards the end of the debate.

Mr. A. V. Alexander (Labour): You ask us to pay for their defence? Sir Thomas Inskip: No. We ask this country to pay for the defence of the colonies, dependencies and those parts of Empire on which we are depending so much for raw materials. The Dominions are conscious of the value of their association with this country, and are making their own preparations, at their own expense, for their own defence. “In so far as the Dominions’ Governments and people have any comments on our foreign policy, let it be expressed by them —not by members of this House.” • Sir Stafford Cripps (Labour) said. “The House is witnessing the most magnificent subscription to a world suicide pact yet publicised in any country. -

Mr. C.,R. Attlee (Leader of the Labour Party): Every sentence of the White Paper contemplates war, not as a distant possibility, but as a certainty. Wp are all to live, frankly, with a gas mask in our hands. The Prime Minister (Mr. Baldwin), winding up the debate, emphasised the need to examine the causes of the failure of the League of Nations, and to endeavour to strengthen it to meet future crises; also the need to -bring back to the League the great powers which had left it.

OVERSEAS EXPENDITURE. ' RUGBY, February 18. Asked in the House of Commons whether a statement could be made on the proposals of the Government to be laid before the Imperial Conference, for a greater share in the cost of Imperial defence being borne by the Dominions, the Prime Minister (Mr. Baldwin) replied: “While welcoming the opportunity afforded by the Imperial Conference, for a discussion of defence and other problems, I would remind the House that the expenditure of the Dominions is entirely the responsibility of the Dominions.” BRITAIN’S FINANCIAL STRENGTH RUGBY, February 19. In the course of his reply in the Commons debate on the financial resolution, preliminary to the Bill empowering the Government to raise defence loans, the Prime Minister said he believed the country was now in a position when she could finance the undertakings contemplated without risk to what she had done and was doing for social services, and without affecting the standard of life any more than the standard might be affected from time to time by the rise or fall in commodities. The Government contended it should be temporary expenditure. That was to say, for about a generation. The social services were there, he hoped, for all time. He hoped indeed that this and future generations might see them improved. There was enormous elasticity in the financial power of the country. If they worked hard and pulled together, and if no unforseen disaster occurred, there was no reason why their social life should be affected by what the Government was proposing.

COLLECTIVE SECURITY He quoted a lengthy passage from the Foreign Secretary’s speech on November 20, in which he stated that Britain’s arms would never be used in a war of aggression. That speech, the Prime Minister added, represented t-he views of the Government. He believed that there was no difference in the view in any part of the House as to relationship of their policy to the principles of the League. The object of all parties was to maintain peace. The' Government had not lost hope, and was now devoting every effort to bringing about a pact to take the place of the old Locarno Treaty, with the old Locarno Powers. It might well be, in the immediate future, that the most hopeful prospect was that of regional pacts. The Government considered regional pacts as of the greatest importance. One of the most cogent causes of unrest in Europe, i n the last two or three years, was due to want of equilibrium between the obligations and liabilities of this country, and its material strength. There was no antithesis between collective security and national security. What they wanted to get by collective security was that the forces of order would be so overwhelmingly stronger than the forces of disorder that no aggressor* could start. That would be done to-day, but if they were to fulfil their obligations under collective security, they must have power enough to defend themselves. AUSTRALIAN CO-OPERATION. (Recd. February 20, Noon). CANBERRA, February 20. Mr Lyons stated that Britain’s new defence policy must be regarded as insurance against war, and a definite contribution to the world’s peace. Australia. desired to co-operate with other parts of the Empire in a system of Imperal defence.