TO PROTECT THE EMPIRE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1931, Page 12

TO PROTECT THE EMPIRE

NEED FOfe adequate navy. “WE 'MUST PAY FOR PEACE.’* “The internationalists hnd pacifists 0f our own Empire are constantly shouting from the house-tops, •disarm, hhd so hasten the world federation of mah.’ The Navy ’Lehgue prefers to l&bk facts in the face, and, having read history, knows that we must always pay for peace,” states the annual report of the Wellington (branch of the Navy League. The report continues: “The Right Hon. Lord Lloyd, president of the Navy League in England, moved the following resolution at the Grand Council meeting on May 13, 1931: ‘ln view of the continuing necessity for the maintenance of a Navy strong enough to secure adequate protection of British citizens, Empire trade, aiid. of otir food supplies, this meeting calls upon the Government to build up to the tonnage allowed by the Naval Treaty to the fullest extent.’

“This represents the main feature of the Navy League policy of to-day, aiid. if the clause relating to replacement of old and out-of-dute ships, in the London Naval Treaty, is not carried out to the fullest extent by Great Britain, then We shall be in a very much weaker position at the ehd ot tlie Ave years’ term than we Were when the Treaty 'was signed last year by Great Britain, United States of America, and Japan. “The Right Hon. Ramsay MacDonald, Prime Minister of Great Britain, speaking in the House of Commons, on June 29, 1931, reminded members of the House, aiid through them the whole of the British Empire, of the sacrifices which Great Britain had made in 1914, Great Britain spent 76 millions on her Navy; iii 1'930 she spent s'2i millions. The United. Btates of America spent 42 millions in 1914, and 78 millions in 1930. France has increased her expenditure on the navy by 10 millions since 1924, whilst the United Kingdom has steadily decreased. Japan spent 31 millions since 1924, whilst Great Britain steadily decreased. France is putting through two naval programmes in one year, for the first time in history. The naval personnel of otlier countries shows an increase in the same proportion as the British personnel has decreased. The British military expenditure before the War and now is about the same, whilst France has increased by 20 millions, Italy by 15 millions, and the United States of America by 15 millions. “The foregoing are a few figures given by the Primo Minister of Great Britain in his recent speech in lhe House of Commons. The daily cables inform us that France proposes io spend another 20 millions in further fortifications on her German, Italian, and Belgium frontiers. The Japanese Navy is 50 per cent, stronger to-day than it was in 1914. “We consider that the maintenance ol an adequate Navy to protect our Empire, our trade routes, and our food supplies is the most economical method of preventing ultimate disaster, and therefore let us remember and take to heart Lord Jellicoe’s words — ‘The sea is dur Life—

By the use of it the Empire was formed, By holding it the Empire has been preserved; If we fail to appreciate its value The Empire will perish.’ ”