The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, February 17, 1949 DEFENCE

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1949, Page 4

The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, February 17, 1949 DEFENCE

PROBABLY it had been far J from the expectation of people generally that a few years after the end of the greatest war in history, the expenditure on armaments would continue to inciease. The interval, -however, has not seen the return of a genuine peace for the world, there being to-day warfare in Asia, least, the danger of Avar in Burope. This latter possibility is the obvious explanation of Britain’s decision to increase her defence estimates for the coming year by £67,000,000, the most significant fact about the increase being that it is earmarked for production, research works and supplies. The research outlay points to the rapid scientific development in warfare, not merely atomic warfare, but the use of guided missiles, jet planes, and other possibilities that remain State secrets. It seems as if scientific power fails to bring a due sense of responsibility, and that, while progress is made in the arts of killing, men are retrogressing in the arts of true civilisation. Yet none of the Great Powers is apt 1o think it can afford to fall behind, and in the case of Britain, which had once .her two power naval standard, it is manifestly obligatory to keep abreast of military advancement in aircraft and naval strength, in view of her world wide territorial interests. Her military expenditure no longer embraces India, but with aviation and the perfection of new engines of destruction the pace is so rapid that even at increasing costs of production, she must maintain relatively her defensive capacity at the highest possible degree. The new estimates, however, providing for a personnel of threequarters of a million in the forces next year, could not be said to point to the apprehension of any early war. Equipment is the sphere in which there is to be the greatest expansion. The Army will attain nearly a strength of 400,000 men, the Air Force well over 200,000, and the Navy nearly 150,000. These figures are not very great, nor is the projected call-up of 170,000 for national service. The essence of the estimates is nevertheless the policy of preparedness. While Opposition critics admit expenditure will be adequate, they suggest that good value may not be had for the money. The heads of the Services have the responsibility in this connection, and may be relied on. It is noteworthy that the colonial forces are to be increased. Obviously Britain is leaving nothing to chance.

The fact that the question of recruiting at present is under discussion in New Zealand is to be viewed in the light of the British policy. It is not suggested that there be here a call-up equivalent to that proposed in Britain, but the issue of conscription is here a live one. The Prime Minister this week discussed defence ’with the Council of the Federation of Labour, which had before his recent visit to Britain decided to await his return before expressing its attitude towards peacetime conscription. As the Prime Minister is stated to have expressed tiie hope that meantime the Dominion recruiting needs could probably be met by voluntary means, the Federation doubtless has felt that the adoption of the other alternative is not at anyrate a pressing matter. It has now expressed the belief that peace-time conscription is properly a matter for a national plebiscite. That is a reasonable attitude in the circumstances. In the case of Australia the same issue was the subject in war-time of two referendums, with a negative result in each case. When the last war came, however, the public mind had undergone a definite change, there being a general acceptance of conscription, .which attitude hardened as the war progressed and Australia itself became very directly menaced. Nor can the possibility of such a menace in future be left out of account either in Australia or in New Zealand. Britain no longer stands as formerly between these lands and the vast populations over the equator to the northwestward. Yet the people of the Dominion could themselves be trusted to take a realistic view of our situation in the event of a referendum, and give a sensible verdict. In itself, or without real necessity, conscription is not calculated to be an advantage, just as the lack of it, in case of emergency, would be a disadvantage. The alternative in peace-time would nevertheless require to provide for eventualities, and voluntary ' rc“ ■criiitment therefore would need to be encouraged. Nobody could accept the dictum, from whatever quarto]', that defence could be ignored.