VERDICT OF ACADEMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20087, 2 May 1927, Page 9

VERDICT OF ACADEMY

REJECTION OF SHAW’S PORTRAIT. COMMENT BY WAR MINISTER. (Preu Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, April 30. (Received May 1, at 5.5 p.m.) Earl Jellicoe, in a speech at the Royal Academy banquet, referring to disarmament, urged the limitation of the size of ships. He declared that the greatest mistake made at the Washington Conference was placing the size of cruisers at 10,000 tons, when the limit might have beeri much lower. Sir L. Worthington-Evans (Minister of War) declared that although the army was greatly reduced it was as efficient and well equipped aa any in the world. A stupendous disaster had been prevented in China, where there was proof of the army’s businesslike efficiency in the rapid despatch of large numbers at short notice, and the conduct of the troops at Shanghai, where ‘‘Tommy’’ had again gone as a friend. Picture, he said, “Tommy” keeping peace in contrast to Mr Bernard Shaw’s “Man and Superman,” in which be says that when a soldier approaches the world picks up its spoons and packs off its womankind. I have been waiting for an opportunity to reply to this; but I need not say anything here, as the Academy has suitably dealt with the offender.—A. and N.Z. Cable.