National Defence

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 37, 27 February 1937, Page 4

National Defence

HOW WOULD N.Z. FARE IF DEFEATED? Collective Security Still Possible THE WILL FOR PEACE The opinion that, though New Zealand' s position would be a very dangerous one in the event of the British Empire being unsuccessful in war, there would be no actual invision of tbis Dominion was expressed by Major-General Sir Andrew Russell in the course of an address at the Weekly luncheon meeting of the Hastings Rotary Cteib yesterday. Sir Andrew said that there were two outwaxd dangers, one being from a European nation and the other from an Eastern power. "A point that we should consider is: In the event of our unsuccessful participation in a war, have we the rlght to expect the victor to mete out to us more than we meted out to the defeated nar tions of the last war?" he said » "There is no chance of invasion. of New Zealand by a big power," said Sir Andrew. "There mighfc be raids, but people donH wast ammuhition, men an dforce when there are other methods. They would merely come and say they wanted the right to let their people settle here and enjoy the same priVelegC3 as ourselves and also expect certain favourable trade concessions and agreements. » If .we refused them, then they would just stop ships comin gand going to New Zealand. Anything that will beat down the morale of the people i» a good and useful weapon." Dealing with New Zealand's defensive force, Sir Andrew made a plea to employers to g»ve encouragement to the volunteer territorial movement, He was sorry that just recently the word ' 'conscription had been used in Cektain quarters to a Minister of the Urown. rVVe do not want conscription," said Sir Andrew, "but compulSOTy training is a ^fferent thing al/td« get her. We are oompelied to pay taxes, send our children to school, compelled to do this and that; in fact, we are compelled on all sides. Then why not have universal training service? "We shall not be called upon to send a big force overseas in the event of war breaking out," he said. "Number will not count so much as the highly trained and mechanised/' Coneotive Security It was generally agreed added Sir Andrew, that the League was crumhling and was no further to be relied upon as a means of gaining collective Security. He condemned those nations who had used the League for their own purposes ■ and so brought about this state of affairs. Had the nations been pure of heart, or had honest belief and intentions to lead the world towards collective peace, the League would have had a chance of doing so, "If there is any collective security possible — and I hold that there io, at any rate as far as the British Commonwealth of Natioiis is concerned — it will have to be translated into objective security," he said. He wefit on to express the opinion that this could be brought about in the following manner : (1). By each nation declariug its policy to be that jf peace, implemented by armed. foroes adequate to secure such policy in case of aggression. (2). Inviting such nations a8 subscribed, in fact, to A policy of peace to join with the Commonwealthi, therewith con^enting to pool their resources and armed atrength in defence of a policy of peace. (3), Members of such pool withdrawfng from all foreign entanglements 5 and announcing their. intention to renouncd all guarantees now in existence, as they expired. (4). Pledging themselve§ to submit any matters of internal dispute to a conference set up among members of the pool, and to abide by its decision. (5). And granting free access to all members of tbe pool to raw materials of which one might have a superfluity and another a deficieiicy. (6). Maintaining neutrality in case of war breaking out among non-mem-bers unless such war affected adversely the well-bemg of any member .of the League. (7). Conffciuing membership of the League of' NatioUs as an instrument for discussion of difficuMes between its own nations and nations outside the pool and for discussion and regulation of non-political questions. "Must Come" Amplifying N these conditions, Sir Andrew said that to a certain extent there was a partial surrender o.f sovereignty, and the granting of free access to raw material was a matter which in his opinion, must come. As fdr the continuation of the League of Nations, he considered that it was doing remarkably good work in a number of ways, such is m the matter of drug traffic, labour and health disputes and other more or less non-controversial sUbjccts. "To my way of thinking, the various nations, after working together for some time on matters of this nature, gain a better understanding of one another and are more likely to come to an agreement on more contentious topics aS the result of the development of that mutual understanding," he .said. "If yon want to avoid war, then the only way is to be prepared for war and be so strong that other peoples will prefer to leave you alone," said Sir Andrew in conclusion.