WORLD PROBLEMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21963, 6 March 1946, Page 5

WORLD PROBLEMS

BRITISH J3URDEN EMPIRE PARTNERS JOINT CONTRIBUTION (9 a.m.) LONDON. March 5. During the defence debate in the House of Commons Mr. R. A. Butler, former Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that if Britain ware going to assess her various commitments she should decide if she were going to carry the whole burden alone or work in close co-operation with the Dominions in facing world problems. Britain could not give succour and assistance indefinitely. He hoped for a general statement which might take the matter a step further at the Dominions’ conference. Whitehall must be a partner, not a universal provider. Mr. Butler said he hoped that cooperation with the Dominions would reach that high level of intimacy and efficiency which was essential if joint contribution were to mean anything, not only to the commonwealth, but to the world.

Referring to the demobilisation policy, Mr. Butler said the greatest remaining scandal was the munitions employment figure. It was very large and alarming in the light of present circumstances and the commitments set out in the White Paper. He asked why it should take a year to reduce this figure to 500,000. He hoped and believed that not much equipment was being produced which would be unnecessary. Obsolete Aircraft?

“I would like to ask whether the Government could cross hearts and say whether cetrain types of aircraft are not being produced which, in fact, are not likely to be of much use now the war is over and whether there is not concealed within the armaments production figure precisely that unemployment which would be seen if these men were released from performing work which is really quite unnecessary,” said Mr. Butler. Sir Ralph Glyn said it was far better to spend money on research, thereby keeping pace with developments in other countries, than to accumulate vast stores of weapons which were out of date.

Mr. Rhys Davies said there was no doubt that relations with Russia had deteriorated in the last few months. He hoped they had not deteriorated to such an extent that Britain was establishing "this vast army” for fear of conflicts with Russia,

Major W. T. Wells said it was no use having a military system which was not respected abroad. If Britain were to make an effective contribution to world peace, there must be compulsory service. Russians in Persia Brigadier F. H. McLean said Russia had made northern Persia a Russian SDhere of influence with not less certainty than their imperial predecessors in 1907. “What do we intend to do to safeguard our material interests?” he asked. "Nobody will deny that Persia, particularly southern Persia and the Persian Gulf, constitutes for us a vital ling in the chain of imperial defence.” He added that the situation in southern Persia was entirely unsatisfactory. Food was short and grain hoarding was prevalent. The central administration was very weak. Now that the British troops were withdrawn it was likely that the whole country, or at least southern Persia, would soon be in utter chaos. Britain could not risk southern Persia falling into the hands of any hostile Power. He asked the Government to say whether Britain intended to leave her Russian ally to carry —some people would say kidnap—the baby and make the whole of Persia into a Russian sphere of influence, or whether Britain was prepared to stand up for her own interests and take a full share in maintaining, in friendly co-operation with her allies, order and security in Persia.