MR. BALDWIN’S HOPE

Wairarapa Age, 30 May 1935, Page 5

MR. BALDWIN’S HOPE

REMOVAL OF “AIR FEAR.” DEVELOPMENT OF LOCARNO TREATY. SPECIAL PACT EXTENDING TO LIMITATION. RUGBY, May 28. Hope that it would soon be possible to remove the “air fear" from Europe was expressed by Mr. Stanley Baldwin, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the Conservative Party, last night when addressing a mass meeting in the Albert Hall, London. “I cannot believe myself that any nation wants war, at least at present," ho said. “There is not a nation in Europe that has not got enough to do in looking after its own people, and in straightening cut its own difficulties. There can be no greater contribution to help in Pacification of the mind of Europe than that the Great Powers should get together soon and pursue once more this idea of limitation, or abolition, or whatever may be practicable. I think we may have the opportunity now of getting down to the root of this matter; perhaps we have a better opportunity than we have had for many years." The minds of men, he said, were turning to what was called the collective idea, which, in its widest sense, meant that Europe should not tolerate war and that every country should join in against an aggressor. They were some way from having achieved that point yet, but over a limited area something of the kind was embodied in the Treaty of Locarno. “I think one of the first things to be done," he proceeded, “is to try and pursue—and Herr Hitler has expressed his agreement with the principle of this —the idea of embodying a special air pact inside that Treaty, and a pact that may, I hope will, contain as one of its parts a Treaty of Limitation If fear of the air could be removed, Europe could give her mind to her own business in a way she has Uot done for a long time. The reason why limitation, or disarmament, or agreement is vital is because of the seriousness of a stroke from the air. It takes time to mobilise an army. It takes no time to mobilise in the air. Therefore, Lhope that the Powers interested in the Locarno Treaty may, before long, come together to negotiate, and embody in it a Pact of the Air, before that race in arms begins which can only end in bankruptcy and may end in war." CO-OPERATION WITH AMERICA

Mr. Baldwin said for the United States to take part in collective security was not practical politics, but he had always believed that the greatest security against war in any part of the world, whether in Europe, in the East, or anywhere, would be the close collaboration of the British Empire with the United States. The combined power of their navies, their potential army power, their immediate economic

power in refusal to trade or lend money would be a sanction that no power on earth, however strong, dare face.—(British Official-Wireless.)