Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd., 1937. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1937, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd., 1937. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

STAR” in its course does not fight for Labour, but endeavours to give its political opponents fair play, and credit when it is due. In these days, the question of national defence looms) large, and it is gratifying to note! that the Labour Ministry is alive 1 to its responsibilities in this respect. It does not go quite so far as some, patriots desire, but it. is taking some important precautions. The Labour ranks contain those who are opposed to anything military, and this section still has some influence in Labour councils. ' r

The Defence Minister (Mr. Jones) in the House, this week, outlined the progress in developing the strength of the naval, military, and aerial forces of the Dominion. Tie is Io he commended for the enthusiasm he has displayed. There is no reason to doubt, that in the course of rime, the Dominion’s defence strength will become more in keeping with i vquirements. The warning of a military expert given recently, should be taken to heart by all New Zealanders who value their freedom and membership of the British Commonwealth. He said: “War is now the job of civilians. It is for civilians to face this fact, and to decide how far they are prepared to train themselves to withstand its strains, and to bring it to the conclusion they desire, s-.ich training to be, not after its outbreak, but, in their own interests, before/’ New Zealand shares Britain’s

desire to preserve world peace, but it would be foolish to close eyes to the possibilities of foreign

aggression. In any next war, New Zealand may have to rely upon her own efforts to repel invasion, and unless she has trained and prepared beforehand, disaster might ensue. It is obvious that there will soon be a “show-down” in Europe. The outlook changes from week to week', but for the time being, the prospects of peacepreservation are brighter. The I litler-Mussolin i meeting has passed without, any “fireworks,” and there is greater Italian disposition to be conciliatory. If this new mood lasts, so much the better, but the Spanish problem is not yet settled, and may still bring about the greater European conflict that British policy has so far prevented.

Should the worse come to the worst, Britain will be better prepared to meet attack, no matter whence it comes. Her re-arma-

ment plans arc making great progress, and her scientific research, is

helping to nullify some of the weapons that might be used against her. For instance, Hector By water, the famous naval authority, declares: “Thanks to the

experience gained in the war, and still more to 1 lie unremitting study which has been devoted to the subject ever since, the British Navy to-day is probably ahead of all others in anti-submarine tactics. There is no doubt that the submarine menace is far less to be feared now than it was during the

war, or even a few years ago.” Italy, by the way, has pinned her faith largely to submarines. The Anglo-French navies outnumber any probable opponents, and their likely allies in Continental Europe have military forces of large dimensions.

Where aerial research is con corned, British progress is regard ed as satisfactory, both in defen. sive and offensive tactics. All in the Empire will pray that it will never be necessary to put Britain’s new forces to the test of war, but it is consoling to know that her strength has revived, checking any hasty desire to attack her. The world knows, too, that each Dominion is putting her house in order in this respect, and this will also discourage the breaking of the peace. Being strong, the Empire can afford to be patient, but its inhabitants must be wary that love of ease, or dislike of training and discipline, does not interfere with precautionary duty.