Britain's Air Policy One of Moderateness

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7107, 16 March 1933, Page 6

Britain's Air Policy One of Moderateness

Now Fifth on List of Air

FoweiY

PEACEFUL ACTIVITIES OF PAST YEAR

British Official Wireless

Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. RUGBY, Mar. 14,

Presenting tho Air Force Estim&tea in the House of Commons, Sir Philip Eassoou (Parliamentary Undcr-Socro-tary for Air) said that contributions to economy bv the force had not Mi made without anxiety. Tho apparatus rise of £SOOO iu the total of £l7,4*fcPuw concealed a reduction of £340,009, taY lowing the decrease of £700,00U last year. No now units were provided I»r, although ten regular squadrons were still required to complete tho modest programme approved as long ago as 1923. Pending the outcome of the Disarmament Conference they onco again were prepared to accept a continuance of the serious existing disparity' between the strength of tho Royal Air 1 orce and that of tho air services of other great nations.

In terms of first line strength the Royal Air Force stood to-day only' fifth on tho list of air Powers, although at tho end of the'Great War Britain had a larger number of trained flying personnel and a larger total number of aircraft than any other nation. The decision, therefore, again to postpone overtaking the arrears on the modest programme deemed to be the minimum necessary in 1923 was a gesture the importance of which would not bo overlooked.

The air pdlicy of Britain had always been conspicuously moderate and unprovocative; nevertheless, whilst air iorces existed air power was as vital to the British Empire as sea power and could not be neglected. Reviewing the past year’s work of the Air Force, Sir Philip Bassoon referred to many peaceful activities, mentioning, among other examples, the conveyance of surgical aid to sheiks in the deserts of Iraq, carrying anticholera and anti-typhoid vaccines to remot o native villages in the Persian Gulf, reconnaisance to give flood warnings in India and Iraq, the supply of food to famine-stricken tribes in Transjordania, the discovery of uncharted iccfs, locust lighting and the conveyance of political officers and civil mails to isolated communities.

Three hundred aeroplanes, 452 aero engines and other aeroplane parts ox British manufacture, to a total value of nearly £1,750/jOO, were exported from the United Kingdom during 1932. Mr. N. MacLcan (Labour) said he bedieved all air forces represented terrorism, which Mr. Baldwin had expressed a fear would one day be loosed on civilisation.

Mr. Winston Churchill (C.) agreed with Mr. Baldwin’s delineation in tho House of Commons on November 10 that air power might either end war or civilisation, but said that the speech had aroused alarm without offering guidance or a solution. In the present condition of Europe, France could not be expected to reduce her Air Force while Germany’s remained as now. “While not abandoning hope of an international agreement we should not base tho life of Britain thereon. Wo would bo well advised to concentrate upon air defence with great vigour.’’ A motion to go into committee on the Air Estimates was carried by 24'J votes to 35.