The Mamawatu Daily Times

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7471, 23 May 1934, Page 6

The Mamawatu Daily Times

Britain Reassesses Disarmament

it .further evidence were needed of Britain’s sincerity in seeking disarmament, it is to be found in her air programme for the coming year. Taking the view that an ounce of example is better than a pound of precept, her Government has resisted the demands for large increases in her modest Air Force, while continuing the negotiations for parity in armament. She intends to refrain from building up to European standards as long as there is hope that Europe will scale down its standards to hers.

The moment is a critical one. There is no sign that France will reduce her strength unless her demands for security are satisfied; Italy will not reduce until all reduce; and Germany now enters the field with demands that during the proposed two years’ period for investigating the alternatives of abolition of aircraft or parity she should equip herself with fighting machines. Thus, while the whole question of offensive armaments—big guns, tanks, air equipment—is under review there is an immediate danger that to the formidable Air Forces of the heavily-armed Powers will soon be added a powerful German Air Force, and that the whole of Europe will find itself committed to the maintenance of enormous potential attacking forces. Then, even if parity should be assured, it would be likely to be on the basis of high and provocative expenditure.

Since Britain’s island position docs not make her immune from air attack, it is not surprising that considerable sections of opinion in that country should demand an increase of her air strength. In spite of her scattered imperial responsibilities, her Air Force is weaker than that of France or ltussia, or Italy, or the United States, or Japan. As long ago as 1923 the Committee of Imperial Defence laid it down that fifty-two squadrons were necessary for British security; but she has never reached this standard, and to-day has only forty-two squadrons.

Much pressure has been brought on the Ministry to increase air strength at least up to the former figure, which would still leave Britain numerically weaker than Italy. But the Government had made up its mind. There is to be one additional flying boat squadron for overseas service, the equivalent of one more squadron for the Fleet Air Arm, and only two new squadrons instead of eight demanded for home defence. The Government announces tiiat it hopes to achieve air parity between the principal Powers by reduction to the British level rather than by expansion.

While disarmament, then, is still under discussion, the British Government is curtailing expansion to a minimum, though it is obliged to make it clear that it could not always accept a position of continuing inferiority in the air. But it has afforded unmistakable evidence of its sincerity by being willing to hold its hand for the present while negotiations are proceeding. This pacific attitude, it ought to be remembered, lias been that of Great Britain ever since the conclusion of the war, when she immediately began the demobilisation of her conscript army and has since been content with a regular army, even smaller than that Avhich she had in 1914. She has also reduced her naval forces, and welcomed the co-operation of the United States in coming to an agreement for the limitation of navies. Moreover, in spite of some noisy sections of the Press, there is ample evidence that public opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of a policy of disarmament to the lowest possible point compatible with the huge armaments of the European continent. For the present, it is in the air that Britain’s defences arc conspicuously weakest, in spite of the high efficiency of the small existing Force. In choosing this critical moment to resist demands for expansion, she has made the best practical contribution to the case for disarmament.