BRITISH ARMY’S ROLE IN WAR

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 146, 16 March 1939, Page 9

BRITISH ARMY’S ROLE IN WAR

Question Of Service

Overseas COMMONS DEBATE ON POLICY Need For Expansion Of Production (British Official Wireless.) (Received March 15, 6.30 pan.) RUGBY, March 14. When the Army Estimates were being considered in the House of Commons this evening, Mr. H. B. Lees-Smith, for the Labour Opposition, expressed his concern that in the staff conversations between Britain and France no commitments, formal or implied, should be entered into which would prevent Britain, in the event of war, exercizing her judgment as to the best use of the country’s resources.

He thought that British and French views of the role of the British Army in a future conflict might differ and that the French might underestimate the important part which the British Navy might again be called upon to play. He stated that in the defence of the Western Front at least we might enjoy a superiority of as much as three to one, and, given approximate equality in air strength, he concluded that the next war might be one of long duration in which economic resource and the power to blockade might be final and decisive. Other Useful Theatres.

As far as the British field force was concerned, he indicated his view that there might be other theatres in which, in the event of war, its presence might be more urgently required than iu France. . Such considerations brought him back to the question of whether collective thinking on problems of strategy would ever be satisfactorily achieved till the service departments were fused in the Ministry of Defence. Mr. Winston Churchill (Conservative) congratulated the Secretary for War, Mr. L. Hore-Belisha, on his speech on the estimates last week and his success in improving the recruiting

figures. He also congratulated the Government on its decisions, first, to provide the Territorial Army witli the same weapons and equipment as the Regular Army, and, second, to provide 19 divisions for general service overseas should the occasion require it. He thought that the latter was a momentous decision, ami described it as the first instalment of the bill for Munich. He was afraid there might yet be other instalments to be met. Mr. Churchill said that the time might well come when the Government would have to make even greater demands on the people in the interest of national security, but he was confident .that they would submit to such demands for the sake of their own security and for the triumph of .world causes in which they were inseparably involved. He was particularly concerned to know what steps were being taken to provide industrial arrangements which would ensure adequate supplies to a field force of 19 divisions. Recruiting Campaign. Mr. F. J. Belleuger (Labour) said that, though the recruiting campaign had made great strides, it would be necessary to prepare the nation for a greater effort even than the provision of 19 divisions for service overseas. He wanted to know what the Government was proposing to do to create that sense of national unity which alone could provide the manpower and production they would need to oppose totalitarian warfare. Mr. W. S. Sanders (Labour) urged that the fact to be borne in mind was that Germany was already on a war footing. Major Astou (Conservative), like Mr. Lees-Smith, drew attention to the apprehensions felt in certain countries in north-western Europe to whom it might be necessary to .give assistance iu war.

Mr. Al. P. Price (Labour) emphasized the importance of equipment in modern warfare and said the size of the British armed forces mattered less than that they should be equipped with the most modern and efficient types and on a sufficient scale. Air. Amery (Conservative) praised Air. Hore-Belisha’s decision to call up strategical reserves at home. He doubted if 19 divisions would be sufficient. Productive Capacity. Air. Hore-Belisha replying to the debate said lie realized that the strength of the Army lay not only at Aidershot but also in the factories. It would be necessary to expand the productive capacity considerably. The infantry reserve was increasing sufficiently to provide the requirements till after recruits had been obtained by mobilization. “We have a technical reserve,' he said, “whose peacetime vocation corresponds with that required in wartime.” The Alinister said he intended to announce an improvement in promotion from tlie ranks. He also announced the lowering o f the age for entering the army from 18 to 174 years. While declining to commit himself to a precise date for the benefit of any intending enemy, Air. Hore-Belisha indicated that a territorial contingent of tlie proposed field force would be ready to depart quite possibly within tlie relatively short period suggested by Air. Lees-Smith. He assured Air. Churchill that it was intended that the Aliddle East reserves should be as self-sufficient as possible and be provided with stores of food, vehicles and munitions. He also said that the Government fully recognized the necessity, in view of the personnel to be served, of a considerable expansion of productive capacity and of placing large additional orders.