Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Over 50 Years.] MONDAY, 5th MARCH, 1934. DISARMAMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 5 March 1934, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Over 50 Years.] MONDAY, sth MARCH, 1934. DISARMAMENT.

In the House of Commons, referring’ to the Disarmament Conference, Mr (Stanley Baldwin said: “We are making a last attempt to obtain ordered limitation of armaments; ive are trying to avoid the dreadful alternative. If we fail,” he added, “the Government will regard it as its duty to look after the interests of Britain first and quickly.’.’ Time, too! Britain has been the victim of something with the look of a huge confidence trick. When the somewhat nebulous disarmament pacts were arranged, the British Government proceded to honour its obligations under them, expecting the rest to follow suit. But under one pretext or another, Europe, Asia and America hung back. In some cases, instead of being reduced, armaments have been increased, so that there are more men in military uniforms standing at attention to-day than at any time since the war. As to naval strength, Britain, which, before the war, found that the security of her world-wide Empire required a fleet equal to the combined navies of the two next strongest Powers, has fewer warships in commission now than America alone, which cannot claim anything like equal need for command of the sea. Under the twoPower standard of naval strength, Britain was considered safe without maintaining a large army. Command of the sea gave her immunity from invasion, and if she lost that command, a land army would be no use, as she could be starved into submission within a few weeks.