IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 9817, 22 February 1936, Page 9

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE. PROGRAMME TO BE CO-ORDINATED DEBATE FIXED FOR MARCH 'J. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 20. The Government's arms-expansion programme and the aspects of foreign policy which have rendered it necessary will be debated in the House of Commons on March 9. The estimates of the defence services for the coming year will by that date have been published, together with a White Paper on defence. Answering a question in Parliament, the Prime Minister said the plans to be announced shortly, for making good the deficiencies in the national defences would be a co-ordinated programme, in which the appropriate tunctions of the three fighting services had been fully taken into account, but any long-range programme must be flexible and subject to continuous review and modification as circumstances might require. The Prime Minister also announced that the adjournment of the House would be moved on Monday for a dis-cusi-son on foreign affairs. Following the debate, which it is hoped to finish by 9.3 u p.m., the Supplementary Estimates for the Navy, Army and Air i'oice will be considered. ORGANISATION OF INDUSTRY. TO MINIMISE PROFITEERING. SUPPLY FOR DEFENCE SERVICES. LONDON. Feb. 21. The Daily Telegraph -says the Government is preparing far-reaching plans to organise industry to supply the requirements of the defence services. Its aim is the avoidance of unnecessary disturbance of normal manufacturing, also minimising profiteering and safeguarding manufacturers against the effects of laying down and maintaining plant for emergencies when there are not sufficient orders to meet overhead costs. It is recognised that industry must be enabled to respond rapidly to a sudden demand in the early days of a war, and thereafter to maintain essential supplies, especially as future wars will develop more rapidly than m 1914. It is understood that a member of the Cabinet, assisted by technical experts, has been appointed to co-ordin-ate industries, and probably he will be assisted also by Lord Weir, who already is advising Viscount Swinton, Secretary of State for Air, regarding the expansion of the Royal Air Force. The Government is impressed by the manner in which dictatorships in time of peace organise industries and regiment labour in a manner only achievable by democracies in time of war. However, It has not based its plans on dictatorships, although It Is preparing to finance various essential industries. It is paying special attention to the manufacture of aircraft in which war wastage probably would be the determining factor in victory or defeat. It is considered that the opening struggle would occupy a fortnight and employ all the forces of both sides ani that after that there would be a lull which, assuming that neither side was defeated, would enable industry to get into ils stride. The newspapers point out that the report has disproved the allegations of Imperialism, hypocrisy and misuse of the League by Britain In her own Interests. The Daily Herald <satirically thanks Signor Mussolini for reflecting credit on Britain and disproving his own favourite arguments. The Daily Telegraph sarcastically pays a tribute to Signor Gayda’s candour, whereby, in snatching at a shadow and claiming British approval for the Italian invasion of Abyssinia, be has completely discomfited the Italian propagandists. Mystification In Rome. The Rome correspondent of the Times says diplomatic quarters there regard the publication of the document as inexplicable, as the impression rs universal that it redounds greatly to the credit of Britain and shows her departmental experts to be men of wide vision, noticeable for impartiality and moderation. The Daily Mail’s Rome correspondent says other circles regard the document as important because it confirms the fact that Signor Mussolini, in January, 1935, offered to discuss the Abyssinian- situation. The Times in a leading article says the only mystery about the document is that II Duce thought its public.uion profitable. His propagandists, who defended his cause by apocryphal dumdum bullets and the equally aporrjph.il activities of the British military attache. will have difficulty in twisting the slorj to thei*- advantage. Tde <Ji>closure leaves the Italian rase in -n e\en worse position than belore.