BRITISH STATESMEN ADMIRED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 196, 4 September 1937, Page 3

BRITISH STATESMEN ADMIRED

Why Rearmament Was Resorted To INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Tlie full significance of international everts leading up to and following the bombing of the "pjYkot" battleship Deutschland m Spanish waters last May was explained to members of the Hastings Rotarj Clul yesterday afternoon by Rotariaji K". MeLeay, of Napier, who was in England during that , rime. A tremendous amount qf international impo'rtance centred around the Corojiation in May of King George and Qr.een Elizabeth, said Mr Mc Leay. Germany was represented at the Corc-nation celebrations in London by Count von Blomberg, who was treated hospitably by the British Government, which did everything for his co-nfort during, his 6tay. TJnknown to Britain at the time, however, Germany had also sent a private delegation to London to report on the amount of Imperialistic spirit seen in Britain at the time. The report of this delegation impressed Germany to such an extent that the need for establishing a close friendship with Britain was xealised at once. Accordingly, arrangements were irnmediately made for Baron von Neurath to go to England and, by conversations with her principal statesmen) seek to place Anglo-German relatio'ns on a more friendly basis. A few days latei, however, Russia began a reign of terror and killed numbers of her generals. A counter revolution broke out there, instigated by Gerrnans on the frontier. Shortly after this France changed her Government following the resignation of her Premier, M. Blum. Baron von Neurath's visit to England was at once cancelled. It was felt in Germany that Britain was now isolated on her own, and German confidence increased. The German navy was sent to Spanish waters. But the ' British Navy followed it. An intimation was given to Italy and Germany ; then France undertook to support Britain in the event of trouble breaking out iu tbe Mediterranean. So things came to a stalemate and the German navy was soon -steaming back home. Referring to Britain' s rearmament, Mr McLeay pointed out that it was Britain' s desire to get her forces back to the strength they were a few years ago, feeling that this gave security to the Empire. Qu several occasions reeently she had been compelled "to eat liumble pifi" through loss of prestige in internaiional aflairs. Rearmament would mean the sacrificing oi vast sums of money, but this was felt to be preferable to sacrificing inillions of lives. The work of building and equipping new warsbips would ease unemploymeut and after they had been pub into servico more men would bo absorbed to man them. "I liave the greatest admiration for everything, I saw in Britain, '' said Mr McLeay. The calibre of her statesmen Avas striking, and there were younger men couung ou to take their plaees. Britain was not iu any way clecadent.