A DEATH WOUND

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19368, 27 July 1925, Page 5

A DEATH WOUND

CABINET’S CRUISER DECISION TRENCHANT CRITICISM BY OBSERVER. BRITAIN DISSIPATING RESOURCES. Received July 26, 11.5 p.m. LONDON. July 25. Mr. Garvin, in a remarkable article in the Observer dealing with the cruiser decsiion, declares that the Admirjalty has inflicted the first damaging blow against the Administration. Within a measurable period either the Budget or the Government will come down. Two vital principles have been violated which must be re-imposed within a year at. any political cost, namely, economy first and civil control. The navy’s voice should be heard, but should not be allowed to dominate. In the ca.se |of future Admiralty ultimatums a istrong Prime Minister should instantly 'accept the whole Board’s resignations, i “We are spending a hundred and fifteen millions upon the navy, army and air force. It must be reduced. In the air age it still leaves the heart of the Empire more perilously exposed than any period in history. Germany lost the Battle of the Marne because she spent too little on the army owing to the cost of the navy. For Britain to attempt to maintain three great fighting services is to court financial and strategic disaster. The Admiralty’s policy would destroy the peace time economic foundations of our defence and exhaust in advance the sinews of war. Until economics are actually realised public faith in Mr. Baldwin will remain shaken by the past week’s events.”