INCREASED VOTE FOR ARMY

Southland Times, Issue 23141, 6 March 1937, Page 7

INCREASED VOTE FOR ARMY

Britain’s Forces To Be Up To Date RECRUITING BELOW NEEDS LABOUR RECOGNITION OF URGENCY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received March 5, 6.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 4. “Our joint aim is to produce military forces which will be adequate to supply increased garrisons at Home and abroad and for the maintenance of order in the Empire,” says the Secretary of State for War (Mr A. Duff Cooper), in a memorandum accompanying the Army Estimates, which amount to £63,120,000 —an increase of £7,239,000 on 1936. The Army establishment, excluding India, was 168,900 compared with 158,400 in 1936 and 186,400 in 1914, says the Minister.

“Although recruiting has improved in recent weeks it is below our hopes and our needs,” adds Mr Duff Cooper. “As stated, already six munitions factories are being erected in the distressed areas, and others will be necessary. Five Home cavalry regiments are being mechanized and two are being experimentally mechanized in Egypt.” After dealing with recrmtmg problems and improvements in barrack accommodation, including the provision of quarters for married soldiers brought up to the standard of civilian life, Mr Duff Cooper’s memorandum adds that research in the spheres of explosives ballistics and radiology continues to yield important results, the application' of which has led to increased efficiency in various arms of the service notably in the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and Royal Corps of Signallers. Co-operation Of Industry

Referring to the readiness with which industry has co-operated in developing national resources for the supply of munitions, • the memorandum says: “Not only has it been necessary to expand the existing Government factories and create new ones but to enlist the interest of many firms with no previous experience of the production of munitions and army equipment. This has been done with a minimum of interference with ordinary commercial business.”

The Labour Party has decided to support the defence estimates. The Parliamentary Labour Party, after a meeting in the House of Commons, resolved to move amendments for reductions in each estimate but to abstain from voting when the main estimates are finally submitted to the House of Commons. This is construed as a tacit admission that the international situation justifies the increases. It is explained in the memorandum that the estimates would have been £82,174,000 —an increase of £26,293,000 over 1936—but for a proposal to meet Army expenditure on the equipment of works and services, including supplies of munitions, to the extent of £19,054,000 by new issues from the consolidated fund under the Defence Loans Bill. Ceaseless Activity It is further explained that while in 1936 £551,800 was included in the Army Estimates for the construction of new Government factories,, the provision for the expenditure during 1937 of £7,946,000 was included in the Royal Ordnance factories estimate and issues from the consolidated fund trader the Defence Loans Bill. The increased expenditure in 1937 is due mainly to the expansion and acceleration of the programme for bringing the military services up to date. There has been marked and ceaseless activity last year in every sphere of military policy, including mechanization and modernization of the Army and the improvement of coast and air defences at Home and abroad. The estimates for the Royal Ordnance factories total £16,164,000, an increase of £10,178,000. Voluntary contributions to the cost of Imperial defence by colonial governments amount to £153,000 in the present year. GAS MASKS ISSUED TO THE PUBLIC INQUIRIES FROM DOMINIONS LONDON, March 4. The British Government has issued to the public specimen gas masks for equipment against gas. Wing-Commander Hodsell, head of Britain’s Air Raid Precautions Department, told the Australian Associated Press that he had received inquiries from all the Dominions and many of the colonies, including Fiji. Local authorities are being recommended to organize a service of air raid wardens to supplement the normal resources of the civil authorities for safeguarding the general public in the event of an air attack. The duties of the wardens, of whom about 300,000 will be voluntarily enlisted, will include advising the public on officially recommended precautions against air raids, assisting in the distribution of respirators and, in the event of war, taking an active part in helping their fellow citizens during and after air ■aids.