WAR AND ARMAMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22099, 1 November 1933, Page 12

WAR AND ARMAMENTS

The third of the series of public lectures given under the auspices of the Dunedin Branch of the New Zealand No More War Movement was delivered by Dr Fisher in the Harrop Street Hall on Saturday evening. The title was “ War and Armaments.”

The lecturer emphasised the fact that the reduction of armaments was a matter of great urgency, especially during the present time of unsettled international relations. Those who, in each nation, urged an increase in armaments as a measure of national security, were greatly mistaken and the dissemination of such sentiments must be strenuously resisted. Disarmament had its risks, but the risks involved in the maintenance and growth of armaments were infinitely greater. Those who demanded an increase in armaments held the exclusively nationalist viewpoint and such a viewpoint constituted a serious menace to world peace. Another influence making towards an increase of armaments and a consequent increased danger of war was that of the great armament firms. A commission set up by tbe League of Nations in 1921 to investigate the privately controlled armaments industry, reported that armament firms had been active in fomenting war scares, and had disseminated false reports concerning the military and naval programmes of various countries in order to stimulate armaments expenditure. The ineffectiveness of the League, especially during the past two years, was frequently pointed out. But the League could only be made effective by the force_ of public opinion. Obviously public opinion had not been strong enough to compel strong action on the part of the League. The lack of interest displayed by the New Zealand Government in the'League was particularly noticeable. The voice of New Zealand’s representative on the League had been heard only on the matter of demanding a decrease in expenditure, surely not a helpful measure at a time wh-n there was greater need than ever for the activities of the League. Expenditure on the League of Nations should be the very last to be reduced.