ECONOMIC STRAIN OF REARMAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 23741, 13 February 1939, Page 7

ECONOMIC STRAIN OF REARMAMENT

INCREASING STRENGTH OF BRITAIN

(British Official Wireless)

(Received February 12, 6.30 pm.)

RUGBY, February 11.

Certain simple facts in the international situation were strikingly clear, said the Secretary for Scotland (Major Walter Elliot), speaking at Halifax. The economic strain on all the arming nations today was severe and increasing. In that strain the immense economic reserves of Britain were coming into play, and with greater effect as the pace increased.

Britain’s strength was increasing, not only in its armed forces, but in the long, slow-burning, reluctant but resolute gathering up of its spirit, said the Minister. There were great forces of goodwill which still made themselves manifest in England; hatreds had not yet begun to flicker. “We have been able to conclude agreements both with democracies and totalitarian States,” said Major Elliot. “The temperature of the nations is' not high, and in spite of all the shocks and disturbances to which the world has been subjected the temperature still falls when exciting causes are quiescent. There is in Britain a national unity which in spite of surface disturbances is very great indeed.”