AEROPLANE BOMBERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 17

AEROPLANE BOMBERS

gj r) —The name given to the class of aeroplane bomber chosen by the New Zealand Government for defence purposes in the Dominion is obviously suggestive. Vildeheest is, I understand, the name of a South African antelope which is not usually associated with anything vicious. But the word easily accommodates itself to the English wild beast, and therein lies its affinity to the purpose for which bombing from an aeroplane exists. A wild beast is out to destroy such victims as come within its clutches and a bomb from the air falls to destroy everything and everybody within its terrible range. In this resemblance to a wild beast bombing from the air shows itself to be the lowest moral limit yet reached in the art of war. There has been a swift deterioration of late years in the moral aspect of the art and theories of war. When in bygone years army stood up against army in the open field, and warship stood np against warship on the open sea, there was an aspect of fairness in the situation that commended itself to all observers. In recent warfare, while there is still the marshalling of armies in the open field and navies on the open sea, resort has been made to inventions and devices that leave all fairness out of sight. Most of it is done literallv out of sight. Mine-laying has been resorted to. The submarine and torpedo have done their deadly work unseen, as instanced by the sinking of the Lusitania, when hundreds of people were sent to their doom without n moment's warning. But the mine, the submarine, the torpedo, are all eclipsed as instruments of destruction by bombing from the air. A whole city population, men, women and children, may be smitten and "in one red burial blent" bv a single raid of a squadron of aeroplane bombers, ft may be truly said that New Zealand is too far away from any probable or possible enemy that might-ho at war with Britain to expose it to the srisks of bombing from the air. But we may well have a thought for others of our race and kin who may be exposed to such a risk It is the horribleness of such a prospect that is strengthening the antiwar movement in all countries The pacifist is persona non grata in many quarters to-dav, and is suspected of lacking in loyalty in his opposition to war. We have only need to place ourselves in serious thought in the position of the people in any land who may at any time be swept to a terrible death by the hell iet loose upon them by the air bombs to realise that the pacifist is loyal to the best interests of humanity. W. J. WIMdUMS.