DEFENCE DEBATE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 26 March 1936, Page 9

DEFENCE DEBATE

SPEECHES IN THE LORDS PROPOSALS ADOPTED BY LARGE MAJORITY (United Prow Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright' LONDON, 24tlx March. In the House of Lords debate on defence, Lord Elibank hoped the.Goveminent would give some indication of co-operation with the Dominions and the colonies. Lord Fariitgdon. criticised the lute Paper for almost exclusively referring to national and not collective defence, and asked why the Government did not ;ask other League State s to lay down what - was. necessary in their own and for our defence. The Marquis Lothian asked had we entered into what M. Flandin and M. Van Zeeland regarded as a military alliance. The last war cost us a million lives and the next might cost us, two milLo’rd Ilailsham, in reply said he did hot think it would be in the interests either of Britain or of peace, if he attempted to interpret the speeches of M. Fiar.din and M. Zeeland. The White Paper set out the whole obligations which the Government had undertaken. There was no secret undertaking. I lie position of merchant shipping was under constant review and communications were proceeding between the dominions and foreign Governments, with a view to concerted measures to place British mercantile shipping on a better economic basis. The House of Lords approved the defence proposals by 109 votes to 8.