NO RISKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 277, 23 November 1936, Page 7

NO RISKS

DEFENCE OF BRITAIN SWIFT AND UNDISTURBING PROGRESS LORDS DEBATE ENDS [ British Official Wireless ] RUGBY, Nov. 20. , A three days’ debate on defence ended in the House of Lords last ’ night with a speech by Lord Halifax, Lord Privy Seal. Dealing with a demand made in some quarters for setting up a Minis- ■ try of Supply for Munitions of all kinds, he emphasised the need for considering the maintenance of the financial and economic strength of the country, together with armaments, as part of the national defence. They need not yet judge the situation so seriously that everything must be subordinated to securing a tremendous supply of arms. For example, they were trying hard to ease the flow of international trade. Those efforts would have to stop if everything were turned over to munitions. , Again, they had laboured hard through difficult years to avoid the risks of a conflagration. Those labours were based upon the League, and the British re-armament was intended to add to the weight of others in the scales of They could therefore reasonably' hope not to be alone in a war and to make any aggressor more cautious. These were all reasons to justify the Government's decision to pursue swift but undisturbing progress. Recognition of Realities. Dealing with Britain’s liabilities, he said he thought the country was against automatic military obligations, and for all his fervent support of the League he would not charge the membership of a non-universal League with such obligations. No nation could be expected to carry them out fully in every case if fulfilment was thought contrary to their interests. That was not disloyalty to the League but recognition of realities, and the British Government had attempted to reflect realities in their proposals for reform of the League. He added that the Government was not blind to the dangers of conflicting ideologies in Europe. It did not think that any country, however exclusively inspired by self-interest, was anxious now to start a European war. Concluding, he said that no risks must be taken, but no chance must be lost to remove international suspicion, and Britain sincerely meant to be friendly with all nations. SYSTEM PERFECTED WARNING AGAINST RAIDERS ENGLAND’S “BLACK-OUT” Received Nov. 22. 9.10 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 21. I The perfection of a system of I wartime precautions whereby the ’ whole of England would know ' within seven minutes when air ! raiders crossed the coastline, is announced by the Home Office. London, the east and south-east coasts, the industrial areas and the Midlands would be virtually blacked out against the raiders. The plans include the lightning evacuation of the slums and dense areas. THE AIR DANGER CUTTING OF ARTERIES EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONS LONDON, Nov. 20. During a defence debate in the House of Lords, Lord Trenchard, discussing Empire communications, pointed out that the Pacific and the Mediterranean had boon described as