BRITAIN'S PREPAREDNESS.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 182, 19 August 1937, Page 4

BRITAIN'S PREPAREDNESS.

Sir Tlioinas Insldp, Minister for the Co-ordination of British Defence, gave a t'etoafkhbly Optinlistio accounfc of Britan prcparcdness for war in-his speoch to a meeting orghhiscd by the London Ghambcr of Commerce. The naval and air force building programincs al'o wcll advanced, he sayS, Yast 'stofes Of oil havo-beeh collected. Frepai'ations have been made to secure proper supplies and distributioh of food hnd l'aW miaterial. And industfy, says Sir Thomas, has bocn able to satisfy the dehihnds made upoh it* But if materiai is not lacking, men are. NeitHer tho Eegular nor the Territorial Army has suffiftient recruits, But an impfovement in recruiting is to be expected, says the Spectator, if the Defence Ministries recognise> as they are said to be dOing, that the best way of attraeting men is to impfOVe Conditions of service; and thb steps taken to ensure employnient for ex-serVicemen is evidenee of such rccognition. The gravest doficiencies axipehr to be in the preparations for air defence. London, the most vulnerablo of citios, still has iiot equlppeit its two anlij L jOrcfaffc dlyjaiofli.