AIR ATTACK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19137, 5 October 1936, Page 4

AIR ATTACK

GERMAN MENACE RUTHLESS MIGHT BOMBING OF CITIES Startling reports of the strength of rearmed Germany and decided views on the course open to Britain as a. result were given by Sir Keith Murdoch, Australian newspaper proprietor, who arrived at Auckland from Los Angeles on Friday! Sir Keith, accompanied by his wife and three children, is returning to Australia after representing that country at the Empire Press Conference, and visiting Spain, France, Germany and England.' Not. since the war had the world been in such a turmoil, Sir Keith said, and it was very important that Australia and New, Zealand should have a wide understanding .of .the position. Already their situation had been profoundly affected by changes that had occurred. They must be regarded as irrevocably bound l ogether, and they might be called on sooner than was expected to make more thorough contributions to their own defence. • - From what he had seen, it appeared that man was unable to make the changes through which the world was massing without war, civil or otherwise. The division of the classes had become wider in most countries. A swing to one sxtreme inevitably caused a swing to the other, and once the middle course was abandoned in. the internal prpTramme of a nation there must be civil war. This had been shown in Italy, Cermany and Spain, and, if the temper>te section could not succeed in France, 'here would be a similar clash there. RUTHLESS INTENTIONS "The other extremism in Europe is chat of the dictators," he said. "Until I went to Germany I refused to believe what I had heard about their new power ind their ruthless intentions. But anyone who inquires in Germany deeper than the splendidly organised front to the foreigner must realise that the country has a capacity to do an infinite imount of harm. Her rearmament is a' :remendous feat, and will proceed at an unabated pace for two or three years nore. Her expenditure is colossal, totalling billions of pounds. Her aeroIronies'are of prodigious size, and are placed according to warlike strategy. "In Dresden, facing Czechoslovakia, I saw literally miles of new barracks close to the huge aerodromes, and there, as elsewhere in Germany, most of the splen-did-looking new conscripts one saw in ihe streets wore the wings of the air force. This concentration on aggressive air weapons is of singular significance, and all it implies must be carefully studied by New Zealand and Australia. BOMBS OF LIQUID FIRE

"The exact place of the aeroplane in varfare is not yet understood. But there is one thing certain—the German dogma of ruthless might entails bombing of cities without warning and without .uercy. The bombing aeroplane,' of which Germany is building thousands, moves at 250 miles an hour, is a fortress in itself, and can carry 1000 bombs, each capable of spreading liquid fire which water only spreads further.

"I saw immense demonstrations of Hitlerism in Germany, and I am quite ■onvinced that the great majority of the people will follow him blindly," Sir Keith said. "Britain is, : profoundly puzzled by the phenomenon of the up•ising of Germany. A number of people agree with the French view that there is •lo solution other than the maintenance of a very preponderant military force igainst Germany. I think this course would be disastrous. Its effect would bs brief and, as the force ineyitably weakened and divided, worse trouble would come. s OFFER OF CONCESSIONS

"The British people should r.t least make an offer of whatever sacrifices would be generous to meet the" German case. I found a veiy general belief in this course. The objection appears to be that the Germans may regard such a course as weakness and press for greater demands. We must certainly be strong! ourselves. It will take us two years to be really strong again, but with such strength coming to us, any offer of economic assistance or diplomatic help could surely not be regarded as flowing from weakness."

Speaking of the Spanish situation, Sir {eith said the victory of the army, which appeared certain, would be a victory of an efficient minority over a vast majority. The outcome would be military dictatorship. If it sought to crush the progressive movement, it could bringi disaster to Spain. There had undoubtedly been a strong backing from outside the country.