ANXIETY ABOUT DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22345, 17 February 1936, Page 8

ANXIETY ABOUT DEFENCE

A private member of the House of Commons has introduced a discussipn on defence that manifested a prevalent anxiety concerning the adequacy of present preparedness against war. His bill was designed to reorganise the parliamentary control of defence by subordinating the three fighting services to one Minister, an idea attracting much attention of late; but his speech in moving the second reading dealt also with questions of efficiency. These, of course, are germain to the subject, for on effective co-ordination must depend very largely the success of any measures to achieve national security. This fact has, had practical recognition in an actual state of war, yet it is fairly obvious that to neglect co-ordination—even to be satisfied with a system of co-ordin-ation incompletely operative—is runnine a risk of inefficiency immediately any outbreak occurs. However, the debate naturally took note of disquieting events, some in parliamentary experience and some in the operations of the services themselves. Sir Austen Chamberlain spoke for many when he referred to those, like himself, not alarmists but feeling profoundly anxious. Such outspoken comment on the position should be greeted, as it undoubtedly merits, with approval. Even if there be, as there is good reason to believe, a resolute determination on the part of the Government to proceed quickly with the setting of defences in order, in ways whose details cannot be made publicly known, the vigorous interest of Parliament is a good thing. Too often—the eve of the Great War is a notable instance, signalised by the weighty but Bcarcely-heeded words of Lord Roberts—a few voices crying in the wilderness are left to describe and emphasise the danger. This debate promises to produce some appreciable results. The bill was withdrawn at the request of the Government pending a statement of its own proposals, but in the meantime a useful end has been served in the frank and impressive utterance of national concern.