DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19018, 14 November 1923, Page 7

DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA

TOTALLY INADEQUATE PURGE. RETIRED GENERAL’S CANDOUR. Proas Association —By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, November 13. Sir John Monash, in remarking that he hud severed his connection with the Australian Defence Force, as there was no room for him in the present system, warned the authorities against a policy of drift. Ho said; ‘‘The Air Force is a sham, and the artillery would last for only a few hours. Australia would bo unable to maintain a battle for a full day, as she has no bombs. 1 have not seen, a tank in Australia.” Sir John Monash added that though he would be peppered for making such statements, he wanted frankly to tell the people the position, so that Australia should not continue her policy of unpreparedness. Continuing, he said: “Lota of people in these days are saying that there is going to bo no more war, that we have a League of Nations, and such shibboleths. Is there any man who naa read history who believes such a thing? Of course, human nature is evolving to better things, and sooner or later we will find palliatives to make war rarer perhaps ; but that we will ever succeed in preventing war—-well, I am one of those who do not believe it.” He said that he was a keen and enthusiastic supporter of the League of Nations, but it was going too far to say that because it had potentialities the people of Australia need not bother further. Such a view was like deciding that wc would have no more burglaries and dismissing the police. Referring to the steadily-diminishing defence vote, Sir John Monash said: “Wo are not merely destroying our defence force, but we are destroying our means of recreating it. We should accept the responsibility of training a sufficient and adequate' nucleus of trained commanders and staffs. Instead of that, they are being reduced every day.” REPLY BY DEFENCE MINISTER. RESTRICTED BY LACK OF FUNDS. SYDNEY, November 15. (Received Nov. 15, at 10.26 p.m.) Mr E. K. Bowden (Federal Minister of Defence), in replying to Sir John Monash, admitted that Australian defence was not all it should be, but he added that it was now on a better footing than it nad been since the war. He contended that the Air Force was not a sham. It was not as large as it should be, but that was because there was not sufficient money for it. He concluded by saying that m addition to the money provided for defence this year the Government had a Suspense Fund of £2,500,000 to be used for defence if the decisions of the Imperial Conference rendered it necessary. So far no’ advice as to the decisions of the conference on Empire defence had been received. A NOTE tfF WARNING. POPULATION MUST BE FOUND. SYDNEY, November 13. (Received Nov. 13, at 10.26 p.m.) It is unofficially stated that Sir George Fuller has ' received a despatch from Europe containing startling facts which prove the necessity of Australia securing a population adequate for /her defence. Commenting on Sir John MOnash’s speech, Sir George Fuller said he agreed with every word. The public must take the message to heart.