DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1939, Page 7

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE

MR. CHAMBERLAIN’S PROPOSAL INVITATION TO DICTATORS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, March 10. Official circles state that the Prime Minister (Mr. Chamberlain)' intends to call a disarmament conference in the late Summer, probably in London, with the United States participating. Cordial invitations will be extended to the Italians "and Germans to join. BRITAIN’S AIR STRENGTH. RUGBY, March 10. The Minister for Air (Sir Kingsley Wood) was the guest of the' Institute of Metals. In a speech, he referred to the influence on the vital tasks of the Air Ministry of the research work encouraged by the institute. Many of the alloys used in modern aircraft, he said, were stronger than mild steel, and their weight was approximately one-third that of the same volume of steel. The new British aircraft. were as formidable as any in the world, and in certain ‘types' Britaift possessed what he bc-lieved to be the best in the world. The production of aircraft was proceeding well, and every week, the pace was increasing. Britain still had much to do, but could register to-day a great increase in its intrinsic strength, and it could safely say that the' progress now being made would become comparatively more rapid. AIR-RAID PRECAUTIONS. (Recd. March 11, 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. The Civil Estimates provide a gross total of £42,205,907 for air-raid precautions, an increase of £32,942,767. This includes £30,328,240 for equipment and materials, £6,600,000 for grants to local authorities, £4,381,210 for emergency fire-brigades, £37,912 for civilian training schools, and £200,000 for evacuation and other emergencies. Of the total, £37,000,000 will be provided from loans. NAVY ESTIMATES. RUGBY, March 9. The. Nav} 7 estimates will be presented in the Commons, next week.

INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK. OPTIMISM INCREASING. [BRITISH OFFICIAL, WIRELESS.] (Recd. March 11, 11.15 a.m.). RUGBY, March 10. The prospect of an early end to the hostilities in Spain, and the likelihood, so far as can be seen at present, that the difficulties between Italy and France will not present insuperable obstacles to’ a peaceful settlement, have encouraged a more-optimistic feeling in authoritative circles here, regarding the international outlook. There is no inclination to minimise unduly the difficulties and dangers that remain, but the situation causes less anxiety than of late. If a widei’ measure of pacification in Europe can be secured, it is felt that the way may be paved for effecting a halt in the armaments race, the urgent need for which, as recent speeches have indicated, is constantly in the minds of British Ministers. It is felt that if, in the course of the present year, there could be achieved some agreement about disarmament or arms limitation —even if it should, at first, be a very limited agreement —this would do much towards restoring confidence in Europe, and inducing a more-settled atmosphere, which would be favourable to a revival of international trade.

It is recognised that the state of Anglo-German relations has an important bearing upon this, and in this regard there is an inclination to pay more attention to the friendly exchanges which have recently. taken place, including the meeting in London of Mr. Chamberlain and Dr. Ley, than to bellicose Press comment. In this connection, importance is attached to the approaching visit to Germany by Mr. Stanley Hudson. “The Times” remarks that, if by trade agreements and reciprocation in other ways. Anglo-German relations can be steadily improved, the possibility of some agreement on arms limitation will be brought nearer. _ Mr. Hudson, in a speech, said that the Anglo-German trade negotiations would be devoted to trying to arrive at some agreement on general lines. If, as he anticipated, they succeeded, a’really valuable contribution to the peace of the world would be made. He thought that there were signs already of a general return to the proper appreciation of the manifold benefits which the older and less regimented system of trade produces.

democracies not effete SPEECH BY SIR S. HO ARE [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIBELESS.] (Recd. March 11, 1 P.m.) RUGBY, March 10. Sir Samuel Hoare commented on the astonishing freedom with which all aspects of the country’s defence provisions were still discussed in the British Parliament, and on the chance it afforded to all citizens to realise how huge sums, running to nearly £600,000,000 this year, were being spent on defence, and were now producing results. The statements on the defence estimates, and recent debates, show that the long period of preparation had come to an end, and the results were now emerging with remarkable effect. “They show, I am convinced, that we could not be defeated in a short war by any knock-out blow, and that in a long war, our almost exhaustible resources would ensure .final victory. These conclusions are of incalculable importance, not only to us, but to every country that is bent upon peace. “There is another fact which has emerged in recent, weeks. It is the solidarity of efiort. in three great democracies. At the end of the year, there were many foolish people who went about saying that the democracies were effete. Few say so to-day, and none will say so to-morrow. For the great rearmament programmes in lhe British Commonwealth, France, and the United States, are much more

than the repair of gaps in the national defences. They are outward and visible signs of the strength and vigour of the three countries, and their unshakeable resolution to ward off an attack on their historic liberties. Never in our memory has there been so fundamental a unity, or so firm a resolve in all three democracies, each differing from the other in almost every respect, and each forming its conclusions in its own way: but all three are inevitably impelled noon the same programme of national defence.

“Between the British and French democracies there has been forged especially close bonds of common interest. They are both in Europe, and European dangers encompass them. America is in a different position. It. is out of Europe, and does not wish to be drawn into European entanglements. It has its own problems to solve, and does not want them compromised by foreign obligations. We realise these differences, and accept them, and we should be both meddlesome and foolish if we attempted to run counter to them. American democracy will go its own way, and no one here will try to deflect it; but that is not the significant fact at the moment. The significant fact is the simultaneous rejuvenescence of democratic strength in each of the three great democracies, not the least, in America, and the equal determination of all three to resist, and resist victoriously, any and every attack upon its life and liberty.”