The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1936 IS THEBE DANGER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20465, 9 July 1936, Page 8

The Timaru Herald THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1936 IS THEBE DANGER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN?

No one who has watched with open eyes what one of the best-informed London news services describes as the “rapid deterioration of the European situation, coupled with the succession of crises in the Far East,” will be surprised to learn that Britain’s rearmament is being greatly accelerated. It is generally acknowledged that the international situation is becoming worse, and at the moment, in spite of covenants, pacts and treaties all designed to outlaw war as an instrument of national policy, the rule of force seems at the moment to have superseded the rule of law. The cable messages from London this morning suggest that the supplementary naval estimates to be presented in the House of Commons almost immediately, providing for several millions for additional warships, increased personnel and the strengthening of the British Air Force and Army, are expected to shock the public. The reason given is that the “public has been led to believe that the huge expenditure already undertaken would not be increased until next financial year.” It is recognised, of course, that every peace loving citizen of the Commonwealth of British Nations will deplore that Britain has been forced to regard rearmament as one'of her most urgent needs. But no one who cares to look the stern realities of the European situation calmly in the face, in the light of the fate of poorly armed Ethiopia in the struggle against a powerfully armed aggressive nation, will regard Britain’s decision as anything but the acceptance of the inevitable. It cannot be denied, however, that for years Britain played a praiseworthy part in the lead given to the principal nations in gradual disarmament. On the one hand, influential sections of public opinion in Britain insisted that Britain should have proceeded farther along the road to disarmament, because, in time, other nations, inspired by Britain’s heroic example would have followed. On the other hand, other and no less influential groups persistently warned Britain that the reduction of her naval, air and army strengths was being carried to dangerous lengths, and that the whole policy ought to be changed because not one of the Great Powers had paid the slightest attention to Britain’s lead; on the contraiy, in spite of successively large reductions in British armaments and appeals to the world to follow this example, other Powers actually speeded up their plans to provide for what they described as the “strengthening of their national defences” to meet the changing times. And what is the position to-day? The repercussions to the collective measures attempted in conformity with the principles laid down in the Covenant of the League of Nations, brought a rude awakening to British statesmanship. So much so, that to-day, the members of the great British family living in the Overseas Dominions, are beginning to ask themselves if their positions in the outposts of the great Commonwealth are secure. And to-day, the question uppermost in the minds of British and overseas statesmen is: Is Britain’s position in the Mediterranean—often described as. the lifeline of the Commonwealth of British Nations —safe in face of the changes that have taken place in diplomatic relations within the past few months. From the naval point of view, the position in the Mediterranean is one which might be considered entirely satisfactory, were it not for the shadow cast by the post-war growth of air power—a new factor which not only calls for careful analysis, but which has really invested the Mediterranean position with a new and menacing situation. Moreover, the sto 1 ratio of length to breadth of the Mediterranean, greatly favours those nations established along its shores, possessing powerful aircraft. From this angle, the position of Britain is distinctly unfavourable because Malta is separated by nearly 1000 miles from Gibraltar and Egypt, with the main base distant across the Continent another 1000 miles. It is therefore because the new Committee of Imperial Defences is fully alive to the changing situation in the Mediterranean and at other vital outposts of the Commonwealth, that greatly accelerated rearmament has been embarked upon by Britain, greatly, it is true, against the deep-seated principles of many people who are nevertheless slowly beginning to recognise the danger of weakness in a world where the rule of force holds supremacy at the moment.