SECURING PEACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23004, 6 October 1936, Page 9

SECURING PEACE

BRITAIN'S REARMAMENT PLAN A POWERFUL AIR FORCE STATEMENT BY CHANCELLOR [British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph -Copyright) RUGBY, October 3. Editorial comment in the morning papers is principally directed to the speech which the Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered at the Conservative Party Conference. The conference was delighted with the assurance that the Prime Minister* himself had " every expectation, that by the time Parliament reassembled he would be fully able to cope with the heavy tasks which' will then lie before him." Mr Chamberlain s,aid: "When I consider the disturbed conditions of the world and all the restrictions which still hamper international trade. I cannot but be astonished at the progress of our industry. Every month since January there has been an increase in employment at an average rate of nearly 90,000 a month. This improvement is not confined to particular areas. It covers almost every part of the country. Nearly all important industries, even in the depressed areas—the most obstinate and difficult part of the unemployment problem—are beginning to feel the effects of the revival." Mr Chamberlain stated that the wage increases recorded in 1936 represented another £ 18,000.000 a year in the pockets of the wage earners. The comment shows that the papers attach the greatest importance to the passages in the Chancellor's speech relating to rearmament. The Chancellor told his audience the reasons, as the Minister responsible for the national finances, with which he had reached the conviction that " the state of the world rendered it essential to embark on the largest programme of Expenditure on defence the country had ever undertaken in time of peace. When the programme is completed we shall once more have a navy adequate to protect our vital lines of communication. We shall have an army, trifling in numbers beside the vast conscript armies on the Continent, but equipped with the most modern weapons and mechanical devices that science can give us. We shall have an Air Force which in speed, range and power of machines, and in the quality of its personnel will be second to none. I consider our Air Force, when fully developed, the most formidable deterrent to war that could be devised. I support its establishment with the greater conviction and enthusiasm because everyone knows it will never be used to make an unprovoked attack on any other country." The Daily Telegraph comments on Mr Chamberlain's concluding appeal for greater attention to physical education, and the Daily Mail considers this one of the most anxious problems of the time. The Chancellor's speech is not without its critics in, the press. The Daily Express finds Mr Chamberlain's drum somewhat muffled and his rearmament plans too distant. Mr Chamberlain said it was futile and dangerous to attempt to distinguish between armaments necessary to Britain's own defence and what is requirec" for fulfilment of her international obligations. The Manchester Guardian finds in this statement reason for despair, and*is forced to believe "that this Government still cannot understand eve- what is meant by the wisdom of collective security. It talks of defence and collective security as though they were two different things." The Daily Herald, from a similar angle, says: "Once again we find private confidence in national competitive armaments as in some way a guarantee of peace and security One would think it impossible -that such a belief could survive August 1914, but here it is again, vigorous and dominant as ever, with nothing changed except that where then it was the navy which was to secure peace; it is now an air force of terrific striking power." A LABOUR RESOLUTION (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Oct. 3. A resolution on defence and armaments tabled by the National Executive of the Labour Party for discussion at Edinburgh adds: "This conference declares continuance of vested interests in thi private manufacture of arms would be a grave contributory danger to the peace of the world." PRESS COMMENT ON SPEECH (British Official Wireless) , RUGBY, Oct. 3. (Received Oct. 5, at 5.5 p.m.) The Times, commenting on Mr Neville Chamberlain's speech at the Conservative Party conference, recalls that the Prime Minister once said t'Kat his Government would be judged mainly by the effects of its policy on unemployment, and thinks that the captious critics must fall silent before its record in this respect as set out in the speech by the Chancellor, who said: "Our anticipation last October that, if the National Government was again returned to office, we might expect a continuance of the industrial recovery which had taken place ■in . the preceding four years has been more than fulfilled." Mr Chamberlain, in support of his contention, went on to cite figures showing a remarkable expansion of the iron and steel industry, of the rayon and automobile industries, and even shipbuilding. The Times also considers that Mr Chamberlain stated a case for the renovation of national defences in which it presented itself to the judgment of the nation, and the paper approves his reiteration that British rearmament has been and will be accompanied by constant efforts towards constructive international collaboration. The Daily Telegraph makes the point that international unrest is inflamed by economic difficulties, and draws attention to Mr Chamberlain's references to the revaluation of the franc Concerning the French Government's decision, the Chancellor said: " I am very glad to co-operate with them and with the Government of the United States in minimising the disturbing effects of that operation, and I am hopeful that the declarations issued by the three Governments will prove to be a step towards the restoration of more static conditions in. the international monetary system. The British Government will at all times be ready to take its part in any steps that

will help to restore confidence, and remove, or at least reduce, the more excessive forms of restrictions by which freedom of international trade is hampered."