OPUNAKE TIMES Speaks for the District. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1935 ARMS MANUFACTURE

Opunake Times, 15 January 1935, Page 2

OPUNAKE TIMES Speaks for the District. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1935 ARMS MANUFACTURE

“11 a general convention can he secured at Geneva (and then put into operation) for the control ol the manufacture, export, port and import of arms, it will be a great gain,” comments the Manchester Guardian. “But let us he clear what the gain will, and will not he. At Manchester Mr Neville Chamberlain said: — ‘i’ublic opinion in this country has been rightly shocked by reports that have come over here 01 evidence to the Committee of the American Senate about the doings of certain armament firms — now they made efforts, sometimes in rather questionable ways, to induce foreign Slates to buy arms. I wish I could believe that these things could be stopped by the abolition of a private manufacture of arms and the substitution of the State for the private manufacturer. But what I want to point out to you is that the real evil lies in the uncontrolled traffic and export of arms. That is what we want to put a stop to. If we could get an international Agreement of that kind signed at Geneva then I think we might hope to put an end to the sort of scandals that have come over to us in the reports from the American Commission.’ But why should w e be entitled to hope for such a result ? If the element of private profit were abolished then the abuses which spring from its eixstencc would disappear, _ nor can one believe that national manufacture would perpetuate or tolerate them. But how would a system of licences and of publicity for exports, and imports abolish the incentive to obtain orders which leads to the present abuses!-' It would operate to Tome extent as a check —publicity has always that sanitary virtue—but no more. But on all such questions we ought to obtain a most useful light if the Government institutes the inquiry to which Sir John Simon, with what ever reservations about details, has committed it. The Government should press oir with this inquiry. It is essential to discover what ar© the practical difficulties in the way of abolishing private manufacture, and in the meantime to establish international control of the present system as rapidly and efficiently as possible.”