BRITISH DEFENCE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21418, 9 March 1935, Page 15

BRITISH DEFENCE

* Expansion Only In | Air Force j COMMENT BY "THE TIMES" i I •Blim-.H OFFICIAL WIR El.E<.= . < I ' j (Received March 3, 5.5 p.m.) j RUGBY, March 7. j In an analysis of the defence services estimates, which show for the INavy, Army, and Air Force a total ■ increase in expenditure of nearly I £ 10,500,000, "The Times" notes that .actual expansion is limited to the i increase in the Air Force already , announced by Mr Stanley Baldwin i last July, and reaffirmed last. Novj ember, when it was stated that 25 j new squadrons would be created | before the end of l})3(j. The ex•penditure upon these now squadrons ] and the necessary ground accoml modation and equipment represents |an increase in strength, but praciicj ally the whole remaining increase iin expenditure represents merely | the replacement, renovation, or re- | equipment of existing forces, i "The White Paper on defence, | says "The Times," "was obviously prepared some time ago. when the result of the Government enquiries on Slate defence services came to hand, and no part of it was prompted by or had reference to the projected visit of Ministers to Berlin. The passages which have j inclin ed German criticism were in | substance a repetition of the scnti- [ nients expressed at the time of j Germany's withdrawal from lire i League of Nations and Mr Bald- | win's plain account of German rei armament—an account of which }v. as communicated to the German ' Government before it was made I last November. These sentiments j were expressed then, and have been i reiterated now, not from any diserini- • !"-'tion against Germany, but from a desire to show how her absence ! from international councils must j inevitably give rise to suspicion j and distrust. | "Plain speakirv; in these matters,' 1 | says "The Times," "is infinitely to ibe proferved to concealment. The | British desire for a collective peace j system is just as intense as ever, j and this desire is the dominant j note of the White Paper, as is clear jif all parts of it, and not merely I isolated passages, are read."