ROYAL AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23511, 27 May 1938, Page 9

ROYAL AIR FORCE

BRITAIN’S DEFENCE STRENGTH NOT IN DOUBT PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT MOVE FOR INQUIRY DEFEATED (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright! RUGBY, May 25. “If it were put to the test to-morrow, with whatever deficiencies there may be, the Royal Air Force would prove to be one of the most formidable fighting machines in the world.” This declaration was made by the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) in answering Labour criticism in the House of Commons. The Labour motion demanding a searching inquiry into the air defences was defeated by 329 votes to 144. The motion was treated by the Government as one of censure. The debate, which was postponed last week, was opened by Dr Hugh Dalton (Labour), who was followed immediately by the Prime Minister.

After making the point that the Government must regard the demand for an inquiry as showing a want of confidence, and, therefore, must treat the motion as one of censure. Mr Chamberlain said:

I am not here to deny that there have been delays and disappointments and checks in the programme, which has been altered from time to time and expanded according to what we considered to be the needs of the moment. On the other hand, I have no hesitation in saying that in the Royal Air Force as it stands the country has a defence of which any country may be proud, and that, if it were put to the test tomorrow, with whatever deficiencies there may be, it would prove to be one of the most formidable fighting machines in the world. Objection to Inquiry

The Government was rejecting an inquiry chiefly because it would not help the purpose which all parties were united in wishing to see achieyed —namely, the securing as speedily as possible of an air force complete and efficient in all respects. On the contrary, an inquiry would introduce confusion and delay. Referring to the new Secretary for Air, Mr Chamberlain said he thought the reputation which Sir Kingsley Wood had gained in the various offices he had already held would be some guarantee to the House that his methods would be thorough and that he would spare no pains to carry out the duties expected of him. Mr Chamberlain stoutly defended the former Air Minister (Viscount Swinton), in appreciation of whose services he spoke at length. The Prime Minister mentioned three developments of recent years which had necessitated substantial alterations in design and their cumulative effect on speed and manoeuvre, even in strategy—the all-metal monoplane, engines of super-efficiency, and the variable pitch air-screw. Fastest Machines in World Mr Chamberlain went on to refer to a comparison Dr Dalton had drawn between the present-day rate of production and that in the Great War, which was as different as chalk from cheese. The first squadron of Bulldogs formed in 1919 had a too speed of 120 miles an hour. The first squadron of Gauntlets formed in 1925 had a top speed of 230 miles an hour, but now they had passed the 300 miles an hour mark, and the Spitfires were the fastest fighter service squadrons anywhere in the world. Speaking of bombers, he said he could not disclose the range or bomb loads of the latest types, but those in service were the fastest bombers in the world, and the new types which were now on order showed such a marked advance that it was unlikely their performance would be surpassed by the bombers of any other country. Mr Chamberlain contended that there was no part of Britain’s air defence which made a deeper impression on foreign visitors than the shadow factories. Answering advocates of mass production, he mentioned that, while in the ordinary motor car engine there were 1700 parts, in the modern bomber there were 11,000 parts to the engine alone and upwards of 70,000 for the rest of the plane. Ministry of Supply Turning to the proposal for a Ministry of Supply. Mr Chamberlain commented on the number of rival proposals before the public, but declared that all of them suffered from the disadvantage that they would dislocate the present maehinery, which was working well “ My own view is,” he said, ‘‘ that, although in actual war a Ministry of Supply would be essential —and, indeed, we have all plans ready for such a Ministry to be put into operation in such circumstances —I do not believe a Ministry of Supply in peace time is going to be as effective as the Ministry of Munitions was in the Great War, unless you give it the same powers as the Ministry of Munitions had

“ I doubt whether we should be justified in asking for such powers in peace time. By setting up a Ministry of Supply, you would add

nothing to the efficiency of the system. For the reasons I have given, the Government is not prepared to set up a Ministry of Supply any more than it is prepared to grant an inquiry. No one must imagine from that that we are not straining every nerve to complete our programmes at the earliest possible moment.”

Dealing with the question of air parity, Mr Chamberlain reiterated his previously expressed view that the first line strength was only one of the factors to be taken into account. He said he very much deprecated taking a single country always for comparison in judging air power. He thought such assessments should be made in a way which implied no challenge to any other country.