The Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1934. AIR FORCE AND PEACE.

Wairarapa Age, 12 March 1934, Page 4

The Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1934. AIR FORCE AND PEACE.

If it served no other purpose, the debate in the House of Commons at the end of last week on the British Air Estimates emphasised impressively the lack of security in the modern world. With the outcome of efforts for disarmament at best doubtful, the choice before Britain and other countries plainly is between one state of insecurity and another. No doubt, with her air armaments inferior in strength to those of several European Powers, Britain is in an extremely insecure position to-day. In the circumstances, no fault can be found with Mr. Baldwin’s announcement that if the Government fails to secure either a general air convention or one binding the Western European countries, it “will see that in air strength Britain shall no longer be inferior to any country within striking distance of our shores.” Obviously, however, the lastresort policy thus foreshadowed offers no hope whatever of security. At most, it may give Britain prospects of inflicting damage on any Power by whom she ,is attacked. The danger of a race in air armaments which would lead sooner or later to war is in plain sight. The only bright spot in the news on this subject is that Mr. Baldwin has by no means abandoned hope of a convention which will give equality in air strength and tend to avert danger. It is, of course, obvious that Britain has exercised the greatest possible forbearance and has taken serious risks in endeavouring to bring about a reasonable understanding and agreement on air strength, as she has with reference to other aspects of disarmament policy. Whether an, agreement limited in scope to the Powers of Western Europe is the next best thing to a general agreement on disarmament may, however, be doubted. No reason appears for departing from the view that it is open to Britain and the United States, acting in concert, to enforce a practical policy of world disarmament. This need imply no aggressive alliance and probably need not go beyond a joint control of economic and financial resources, particularly in withholding supplies and support from any nation going to war. It will be a very great pity if lingering isolationist tendencies in the United States should compel Britain to rely instead on agreement with the nations of Western Europe in regard to air force or anything else. MAKING BUILDINGS SATE. Satisfaction has been expressed by the Associated Chambers of Commerce at the Government having abandoned the Building Construction Bill in favour of the administration of building by-laws by local authorities for the purpose of securing earthquake-resis-tance designs. The success upon which the Associated Chambers thus plume themselves is a comparatively small matter. Provided the right standards are set and enforced, it is no doubt better that building regulations should be administered by local bodies than by a national authority. While contention has raged over the mere plan of administration, however, years have been allowed to pass without

anything positive being done to institute ■ the building regulations that are greatly needed. With a better and more public-spirited appreciation of their duty, the Associated Chambers would have been at least as insistent upon the early adoption and enforcement of adequate building standards as upon securing economical, methods, of administration. It has now become a matter of simple common sense that an end should be made of delays in /dealing with, building, standards and that methodical action should be taken, not only to ensure the safest possibleconstruction of' new buildings, but to modify as far as possible the condition of many buildings, in both cities and smaller towns, which have been erected with a reckless disregard of earthquake risks. A practical immediate step that might very well be taken by the Government is- that of having standards laid down by experts for the guidance 'of local authorities in their control of repair and reconstruction work in areas like- this in which damage wasdone by the recent earthquake.. Even if compliance with these standards I /were for the moment purely voluntary, useful, guidance that is new lacking might, be- given in this way.