BRITAIN AND EMPIRE IN GRAVE PERIL

Northern Advocate, 2 December 1936, Page 9

BRITAIN AND EMPIRE IN GRAVE PERIL

Risks for peace; danger in war

t-Per Press Association. Copyright .]

WELLINGTON, This Day.

Describing Britain and the Empire as being in grave peril, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., in an • address to a me eting held under the auspices of the New Zealand Defence League, nrade many startling observations concerning the present state of the world an d the likelihood of another war. “In this enlightened age, it might seem something of an anachronism that there should be any necessity for defence forces at all, but over 20 years ago Britain found how unprepared she was for the cataclysm that broke out in 1914,” he said. He was afraid the lessons of history showed a lust for power, greed was still unrepressed, and the British Empire was still in a position of grave and deadly peril. Mr Perry traced some of the violations of treaties by major nations of the world. Nations had continued to rearm, yet Britain had even taken risks for peace, thereby bringing about a state provocative of war. If Britain had been as strong as she was In 1914 there would have been no Abyssinian war.

The speaker quoted figures showing Britain to be in danger on sea and land should a war break out. He envisaged a food shortage 12 months after an outbreak of hostilities, owing to the scarcity of cruisers to protect her trade routes.