“HAVE COURAGE TO DISARM.”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 19 March 1927, Page 9

“HAVE COURAGE TO DISARM.”

Air Estimates Challenged.

LABOUR MEMBER’S PLEA.

By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

LONDON, March 17

Mr At A. W. H. Ponsonby, during the report stage of the Air Estimates, moved to reduce the Air Force by 32,000 men, pointing out that he was not acting on behalf of the Labour Party. Ho said lie desired to attract serious consideration to disarmament by international agreement, through the power of example. The governments of the world seemed to hav@ learned nothing from the Great War. Could imbecility go further. We had spent four years heating Germany to her knees, and then eight years setting her on her feet. Disarmament would take time,- but the first nation with courage to disarm would quickly be followed by the others.'

Mr Shepherd, seconding the motion, said it was no answer to say that war was necessary till we had tried the method Christ had propounded. Mr J. Sexton said lie differed materially from a section of Labourites If Britain disarmed it would not be a case of Russia for the Russians, but England for anyone caring to come and take it.

Sir Samuel Hoare (Secretary of State for the Air) said he des ; ed restriction aud limitation of armaments as sincerely as the Opposition, b*it until the present feeling of suspicion and distrust disappeared from Europe, no great advance towards disarmament was possible. The amendment sought to leave Britain defenceless. It was not a practical step to cause the limitation of tlie most dangerous of all

arms. Tlie amendment was negatived by 197 to 24.