THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1938 MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S WARNING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22982, 9 March 1938, Page 12

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1938 MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S WARNING

Those Dominions that, consciously or unconsciously, have been leaning on Britain for defence and security were given fair notice by Mr. Chamberlain, speaking on defence in the House of Commons. Although the British Prime Minister finds that the colossal sum of £1,500,000,000 provided for rearmament is insufficient and expects the new figure to disclose "a substantial advance," the vast expenditure will not ensure the simultaneous protection of all - parts of the Empire at the outbreak of war. So Britain is compelled, no doubt reluctantly, to concentrate on her own defence first, and next on the maintenance of sea-borne supplies. The Dominions and other Empire obligations are placed third, only one stage ahead of defensive co-operation with any British allies. Put that way, with Chamberlain 4 directness and realism, the prospect ! looks stark and menacing. But is ® not that the true position; and is it not time that the Dominions realised it, and isolated New Zealand in particular? The Dominion has for too long been living in a fool's paradise, or, what may amount to the same thing, in Mr. Savage's Pacific Paradise. Little though New Zealand may relish it, Mr. Chamberlain's policy is logical and his strategical conception sound. Anyone who has thought about it at all knows that the Dominions other than Canada must stand or fall with Britain. In the long run, therefore, Britain is guarding their interests by guarding herself first. In the short run they will be exposed to attack unless they cover themselves. And as they claim to be self-govern-ing, independent and autonomous in all else, they cannot expect to remain dependent in this. The onus has been placed where it belongs. Mr. Chamberlain has done the Empire a great service in making it clear that Imperial defence is not a primary or even a secondary objective to Britain. Such being the case, each Dominion must take up in earnest its own primary objective, local defence. The principle has been affirmed and accepted by the Prime Ministers at the Imperial Conference but its application has yet to return reasonable guarantees of security. Canada expressly denies any concern for or commitments in Imperial defence. "What we are doing," said Mr. Mackenzie King, speaking on -last year's defence estimates, "is for the defence of Canada, and of Canada only." But even under that single head, the provision cannot be considered in any degree adequate. The fact is that Canada, implicitly or explicitly, relies on her geographical position as her strongest protection. She shelters from world storms under the lee of the United States. It may be a selfish policy, but it is not utterly divorced from reality. Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, scattered in distant seas, far from the Empire's base and citadel, can rest secure under the sheltering arm of no friendly and powerful neighbour. The first two have latterly awakened to their perilous remoteness and to Britain's inability to guarantee initial support against an enemy. Each is doing the utmost to provide a scheme of local defence as adequate as means will permit. The Australian plan is known. It is complete, including naval, military and air arms and munition supply at a cost this year of £11,500,000. "Our people are wise enough," Mr. Lyons has said, "to realise that our defence rests on two pillars, one of which is our own maximum effort, and the other Empire co-operation." South Africa has taken a different line. She leaves sea defence wholly to the British Navy, but is providing at considerable cost for protected naval harbours, dockyards and coastal defence. Against an enemy once landed, her preparations are impressive. She is organising a formidable and modern Air Force, including the training of 1000 pilots, to support a first line Active Citizen Force of 56,000* men, technically efficient, highly mechanised and with up-to-date equipment. Behind that will be a national reserve of 100,000 riflemen and organised native battalions for non-combatant duties. And while the Union does not openly acknowledge any Imperial obligations, she tacitly accepts the protection of British protectorates, colonies and territories in Africa as far north as Tanganyika. New Zealanders may be left to make their own comparisons with Australia's comprehensive defence or the formidable forces ranged by South Africa. The latter's white population is only one-fifth larger than New Zealand's, but her land forces are ten times as numerous, with the backing of 100,000 European and large native reserves. Yet South Africa might rely on the Cape being considered an essential of British security in war. New Zealand can have no such reliance. Her situation is such that Kipling's words on Auckland strike with a new sound, an ominous sound—"Last, loneliest . . . apart." From such sombre reflections, let New Zealandcrs turn again to Mr. Chamberlain's speech, appreciate its meaning, study his statement of British defence objectives, and his admission that losses overseas may have to be sustained ; and then let them demand of the Government; that action bo taken to cover this country's isolation ' as effectively as possible. Social security, and superannuation and health insurance, may be planned in vain unless national security be guaranteed so far as it lies in our power to do bo.