EUROPE’S MAD RACE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19068, 14 January 1924, Page 10

EUROPE’S MAD RACE.

ARMY FOR DEFENCE. PREPARATIONS EAR ABOVE PEACE QUOTA. The European Powers are again getting into their stride in the armament race, cabled Mr H. Scarborough, Sydney correspondent of the New lork Tribune. last month. The disproportionate armies of the smaller central and eastern Continental States have become a byword. but these cannot be taken very seriously from a purely military standpoint. It is in the four large European countries that the present trend is more marked. * All of the nations, of course, are arming “for defence.” That is the oniy way any nation has admitted arming in the last hundred years. The Washington Treaty enforced limitation of capital ships, bnt aside from that there is no bar to shipping munitions of war. Italy is building submarines, and, according to the plans of Premier Mussolini, that county will have a three-fold increase in its air fleet within a year, so as to have an air fleet equal to that of any other Power within striking distance. Great Britain is doubling her air fleet for the identical reason. France already has the strongest air force in Europe—which she contends was made necessary by the German menace, and is credited by such an authority as Colonel Repington with plans for twining sixty divisions of African troops within the next few years. GERMAN 1 ARMAMENT SECRET. Germany is an unknown quantity, the Allied control of her munition equipments having been suspended ; but the French Press asserts that Germany is rearming, and British experts, while making reservations as regards heavy ordnance and gas, will not contradict the French on this point. It is true that the Imperial Conference, which has ended its sessions in London, devoted one sentence in its report to the expression of hope that “no opportunity would be lost in promoting further limitation of armaments*,’’ but it declared unequivocally that “it is necessary to provide for the adequate defence of territories and trade of the several countries comprising the British Empire," and further developed that conclusion by approving, as essential, fortification of the naval base- at Singapore, as well as the necessity for maintenance by Great Britain of a home defence and air force of sufficient strength to give adequate protection again in an attack by the strongest air force within striking distance of her shores.” BRITISH PLAN OF DEFENCE. The Conference adopted also the principle of primary responsibility of each part of the Empire for its own local defence. Commenting on this report, Colonel Repington complains that "more stress is laid upon the rights of the several parts of the Empire to act as they please, than upon the necessity for organised common action,” hut proceeds to point out that, as only a summary of the Conference proceedings has been made public, it ip entirely probable that plans for close 00-operation in the event of war have been developed privately. That other European Powers have developed similar plans is scarcely to be doubted. Political leaders and the Press of Europe are unanimous in declaring that their whole interest in peace and the general welfare of the populace undoubtedly endorses these sentiments. Danger seems to he seen by observers here akin to the situation which existed over a long period of years up to 1914—the general amassing of implements of war, which found the bulk of the population either apathetic or approving as “defensive” preparations.