ARMAMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 17609, 25 March 1914, Page 2

ARMAMENTS

.Mr lb A. Molteno, M.8., holds tho first { position in (lie Contemporary with an I article on "Liberalism and Naval Lxpen- • litnre.'' lint his appeal to the Government to reduce that expenditure is not convincing-. "Now. what is the policy of this country?" he writes. "Surely it is a policy of peace. That is a cardinal principle of Liberalism." lie also writes: —"There is no cloud on the horizon which | could possibly grow, so far a- we can j see, to bring about the storm of war." ! It may bo remembered that .\!, Ollivier. j who was the French From tor in js7«. : made almost the same remark just bo- j fore tbo outbreak of lie- I'ranco-Jh-us-sian war. So also did laird (Iranville. tile British Foreign .Secretary, within a few days of the declaration of war which

Bismarck forced Napoleon the Third to issue. But Air Birrell'.s recent statement at Bristol disposes of all the optimistic representations of this contributor. -Mr Blrrcil, who is a member of the Cabinet, and as staunch a Liberal as Mr .Mo.'teno. remarked that there could lie no reduction in the naval estimates because, for one reason, unless Britain retained the command of the sea. starvation within three weeks would be the lot of her people. Mr Molteno writes;—"Wc have no use or desire for more extended territory or responsibility.” But others bate, and they announce the fact openly. Mr Molteno asks that "tin* country should bo allowed to enjoy tiie blessings of peace, moderate taxation, and moderate armaments." The blessings of peace co.nnot be endured with moderate armaments nowadays. The evpei icnees of Turkey in uer African province, as well as in Ktiiopc, form the least of man:: proofs of that fact."