The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, September 21, 1937. PREPARATIONS FOR PEACE!

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1937, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, September 21, 1937. PREPARATIONS FOR PEACE!

Only a couple o± years ago the reduction of armaments was proclaimed by nearly every Power to be its prescription for peace. Today the political leaders of near ly every Power declare they are keeping peace, by preparing for war! Some Powers aver they are menaced and must have a land force no other can face, and some Powers say their combined rearmament is bound to win in any event on land, or air, or sea. Two years ago no diplomat would speak of the armament race, whereas now it is frankly admitted, and, in addition, the power of gold is quoted by the countries which monopolise it as a backing which is calculated to decide the issue in the event of a fight to a finish. A. couple of Australians returning from abroad have just declared in Auckland that these dominions should lash out in armament expenditure. One, Colonel Bruxner, the New South Wales politician, goes so far as to say “I think a return to rearma,ment was inevitable, and do not believe it

was ever possible tor me neague of Nations to achieve world peace all at- once.” The other, a Militarist, wants naval and aerial expansion. It may be merely incidental that the present Australian Government expect an armament budget of more than twelve millions, to. play an influential part in the Federal elections, but there is a suspicion that politicians in more than one country, are merely following a lead which may be blind so far as the preservation or promotion of peace is concerned. The great outlay on armaments at present suits the cosmopolitan capitalists who are in the armament ring, but it may not in actual- fact mean greater readiness for defence. The outstanding feature of the armament situation is its testimony to. the swift changes occurring from time to time in modern govern-1 mental policy. Britain and America, possessing gold to no end,

hare every eonnaence cnui me material requisites for war at their command assure them success in any eventuality. European Powers, and also Japan, without the gold, have nevertheless done a great deal in the way of material efficiency, even though what they have done has failed to win the commendation of such armament capitalists as give their benediction where the expenditure has come principally their way. Whatever may he said about military service, it cannot be denied that material preparedness is no substitute for human skill and ability. The training of personnel does not entail a. financial burden in the same way as does the piling up of arma-

nients, unless in a country which carries its industry ‘on a basis that precl titles the development of .skill in the degree that it coiiccn-

t rates effort upon material equipment. Attention is for the present focused on military activity both in Asia and in Europe, a setting that, is line for propaganda in favour of perpetuation of the race in armaments, although the race itself is not bringing any nearer the vision of general peace, if it is not actually banishing it further into the future. It cannot be denied that peace must have for its basis moral, rather than physical force, a thing well realised after the Great European War, but since in process of being forgotten as those in the place of statesmen pin their faith again in might rather than in right. The post-war resort to moral suasion has given way to a reliance on expediency, so that the original idea of a world tribunal at Geneva is to-day exemplified only by the dominant influence of two ‘or three great Powers, whereas more of the great Powers are unrepresented there, No doubt the New South Wales politician is .justified in his conjecture that pea e i cannot be dictated by the present League of Nations, when so responsive to the wishes of a few Powers that other Powers are outside of its orbit altogether. North American spokesmen agree that economic measures must be used jto consolidate peace, whereas economic rivalry is in fact a danger to peace and is unlikely to be removed just in order to remove the danger. It is therefore obvious that the armament race, is not any. guarantee of peace. The only guarantee indeed, that api pears possible as things stand, is a definite agreement Io keep from Avar for a definite period. Then the Powers might readjust their policy so as to lessen the burden which is so rapidly growing in financing the armament race.