FEAR OF THE AIR

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 29 May 1935, Page 7

FEAR OF THE AIR

Idea of Special Pact Inside the Locarno Treaty APPREHENSION IN EUROPE MR. S. BALDWIN’S OPINIONS (British Official Wireless.) Received 1.45 p.m. to-day. RUGBY, May 28. The hope that it would soon be possible to remove the “air fear” from Europe was expressed by Air Stanley Baldwin in addressing; a mass meeting at the Albert Hall.

“I cannot believe myself that any nation wants war —at least at piesent,” he said. “There is not a nation in Europe that has not enough to do in looking after its own people and straightening out its own difficulties. There can be no greater contribution to help in the pacification of the mind of Europe than that the great Powers shouj/l. get .t.ogcJb.er. spoil, and ..pursue, once more this idea of limitation or abolition, or whatever may be practicable. 1 think we may have an opportunity now of getting down to the root of this matter, perhaps a better opportunity than we have had. for many years.' ’ The minds of men were turning to what was called collective security, the idea of which, in the widest sense, was that Europe should not tolerate war, and that every country should join against an aggressor, continued Mr Baldwin. They Were some way from having achieved that point yet, but over a limited area something: of the kind was embodied in the Treaty of Locarno.

“I think one of the first things to be done is to try and pursue —and Herr Hitter has expressed his agreement with the principal of this —the idea of embodying a special air pact inside that treaty. If the fear of the air could be removed, Europe could give its mind to its own business in a way she lias not done for a long time. The reason why limitation or disarmament or agreement is viral is because of the seriousness of a stroke from the air. Tt takes time to mobilise an army, but it takes no time to mobilise in the air. Therefore, I hope the Powers interested in the Locarno Treaty may before long come together to negotiate and embody in it a pact of the air.”

Mr Baldwin said that for the United States to take part in collective security was not practical politics, but he always believed that the greatest security against war in any part of the world, whether in Europe, the East or anywhere, would bo the close collaboration of the British Empire with the United States. The combined power of the navies, the potential army power and immediate economic action by a refusal to trade or lend money .would be a sanction that no power on earth, however strong, would dare to face.