TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1936

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 236, 6 October 1936, Page 6

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1936

Defence and the League

A very strong case for the acceleration of Britain’s rearmament programme was made by Sir Samuel Hoare, First Lord of the Admiralty, when he addressed the Conservative Conference last week at Margate. lieciting in turn the strides that had been made by leading European countries towards greater military activity and expenditure, Sir Samuel showed how in the last six months the international position had become progressively worse.

To the sharp realisation of the inadequacy of Britain’s war machine revealed in the Mediterranean situation during the tension that followed the imposition of sanctions, is now added the threat of rapidly increasing armaments in those countries which, by the aggressive policy they pursue in international affairs, set the pace for the adherents to the League and collective security. Germany, for example, before the advent of the Hitler regime was a nonentity in the armament sphere, but under the lash of Nazism and the cry that the army is the emblem of national honour and the rule by which the country is measured in diplomatic negotiations, she has brought a new and dangerous complex to the changing European scene. v

With a previous expenditure of £800,000,000 annually. Germany was causing enough unrest to a harassed world, but this factor has been rendered even more troublesome by the extension of military service to two years, probably as a reply to the French measure. Then the Soviet and Japan, who both figure prominently on opposite sides of the Far Eastern stage, have shown equal enterprise on a variety of pleas in assembling men and material for. an as yet unknown purpose.

Meanwhile, Britain has, of course, not been idle, hut owing to her former zeal for a one-sided disarmament programme and her heavy burden for imperial defence, she faces a problem that is daily becoming more serious. The wonderful recovery from the depression made by Great Britain has put that country in a favourable position to embark on a big expenditure, though in reality, that is of small moment when the competition is with nations who have small regard for the immensity of Budget deficits and preach the gospel that financial sacrifices to the god of war are the short-cut to paradise.

It seems then that, in conjunetidn with Britain’s task of rebuilding her Army and Navy, she must exert all the influence she possesses to secure some restriction of the activity of foreign countries. Eecent efforts in the naval sphere have proved anything but successful, owing to the determined stand taken by Japan on the question of equality with Britain and America. Special interest, therefore, attaches to the convening of the third Disarmament Conference, which has not met for three years.

The urgency of the position is given some point by- the recent utterance of the leader of the extreme Socialist group in Britain, Sir Stafford Cripps, tvho declared: “Armament racing can only end in war. If we arc plunged into war I devoutly hope that the workers of this country will use it for the purpose of revolution.”

The part New Zealand can play in securing order in a troubled world is not unimportant, for the Dominion now has a seat on the League Council* and'is able through its representative, Mr. Jordan, to give support to constructive and sincere efforts for peace and the League, though temporarily discredited as an international force, still remains the only representative body claiming a sufficient following to set a new and better standard in world relationships.

The Palmerston North City Silver Band, having applied for permission to screen a picture in conjunction with a Sunday concert, the City Council de cided last night to advise the blind that, under a resolution of the council, the screening /of pictures is not permitted on Sundays.

Sir Richard Linton, a visitor to tho Dominion from Australia, who had associations with Palmerston North some 40 years ago, will be revisiting Palmer ston North next week and it is the intention of the City Council to tender him a civic reception on Monday next at noon if the time and date is suitable to Sir Richard,