GAPS IN BRITISH DEFENCES

Southland Times, Issue 23652, 29 October 1938, Page 7

GAPS IN BRITISH DEFENCES

“MIDDLE STAGE” OF REARMAMENT OUTPUT DESCRIBED AS FLOOD-LIKE (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, October 27. The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas Inskip)', speaking at Stubbington, said: “We are now in the middle of three years’ rearmament and our output has reached a scale which may fairly be described as flood-like. “When the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) told the House of Commons that there were gaps in our defences he was told that he had been guilty of an excess of honesty; but he does not regret his statement. Only the rarest optimist expects-no gaps, as the end of rearmament is not yet in Sir Thomas said that the question of a national register was under close consideration. After referring to the readiness for national service which had recently been displayed in a way which the country had perhaps not seen since the beginning of the Great War, he expressed the hope, that the public would soon receive assistance in the directions in which its services were wanted. The people knew at the present time that no compulsion was necessary to secure the public service that the country needed. . Dealing with the hopes of continued peace, Sir Thomas said: "Nobody would suppose that we had , secured the blessing of peace for. all time, or even for. years, by one single stroke. Mr Chamberlain’s decision was the foundation; it is not the edifice. It is. the beginning of a policy and not a single act. Peace must be worked for.”

CHURCH’S SUPPORT OF REARMAMENT PACIFICISM A “MISTAKEN COURSE” LONDON, October 26. The Archbishop of York (Dr William Temple) in a diocesan letter urged that the country must deliberately organize for peace. He believed that the Government was right, to press forwards with rearmament. “There is a case for total disarmament,” said Dr Temple. “I do not think that it is a convincing one, but it exists. There is no case at all for insufficient armament If we are not all to turn pacifist, which would be an honourable but, I think, a mistaken course—and anyhow it is clear that the nation is not going to adopt it—we must try to see that our armament is sufficient for the defence of our Empire and, what is morally more important, our share in the maintenance of international law.” After a meeting of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of England and Wales the following message was telegraphed to the Prime Minister: “The Catholic archbishops and bishops offer heartfelt gratitude to Mr Chamberlain for his successful efforts in the cause of peace and promise him their loyalty and their prayers.”