Singapore and Boodle

Maoriland Worker, Volume 13, Issue 31, 1 August 1923, Page 4

Singapore and Boodle

In a Commons debate on the Singapore business, reported in Friday's cables, Mr. Shirley Benn asked the following question: "Has your attention been directed to the statement by a leading Japanese statesman that ... the building of the Singapore base is a natural sequel to the ending of the British-Japanese naval alliance?" Mr. Baldwin replied that he had not seen it, tut that it seemed "a very sensible statement." The Singapore base, then, may be taker* as indicating hostility to, or fear of, Japan. Now read the following cable which appeared in our daily press on Juno 29 last: "J.iii.an Tins rivfin nil order to the Vickers Company to fit a ■ large destroyer, now building in Japan, with Metropolitan-Vickers impulse turbines, developing 39,000 bIW horse-power. It is explained that the Japanese Navy has been displacing interest in this form of turbine and has placed the contract becavisv Japan, while capable of manufacturing other forms of turbines, does no: build this type." Contemporaneously with the Singapore resolution then, a British armament firm does a dea; with Japan to strengthen her nava': forces and so enable her the mora easily to do injury to Britain and tin-. British people. And after making Japan a more formidable enemy, the same company will finance an agitation urging Britain to increase armaments expenditure lest Japan overwhelm her! Armaments firms believe in making the best of both enemies.