The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1932. HASTY DISARMAMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1932. HASTY DISARMAMENT.

It was mentioned eailier this week that it had been declared on behalf of Gi'bitt’Britain that the country could make no further contribution to onesided divnnamenit. When it is ne-

litem bored that since the War, Britain has reduced the naval personnel from 147,000 to 92,000, while the United States has increased its personnel from 67,000 to 114,000, and while Japan has jumped front 50,000 to 80,000. It is claimed that of the European Powers, Britain is the only country which can claim to be truly peace-minded—without having to make any mental reservations on tne point. When the vaetness of Britain’s possessions are considered, and the liability for Empire defence and tne maintenance of a safe ocean highway with all parts, it can be realised Britain has special reasons for not going too far with disarmament. What has been done so far, has been prompted by the desire to aid world peace, and the need for internal economy lias been a spur also. But there is a point beyond which it would be indiscreet to go in the matter of curtailing defence. There are serious obligations in India. There were •disturbances at Singapore and the West Indies during the war. East Africa, the Sudan, Iraq, Palestine, Cyprus, Shanghai and Hong Kong, are all names which suggest naval obligations apart from a military force to maintain security. These far-flung posts omit the great possessions in North America and Oceania, but there also is the special need for a naval police force to he patrolling the sea routes always, and ensure the safe passage of British merchantmen to carry on the Empire’s commerce. The Kellog Pact and the Locarno Treaty were evolved to help conditions in Europe, but Britain must give thought to her oversea Dominions and their safety. No doubt at the Ottawa Conference this year, from which so much is expected, the point „f sea defence for the Empire will he raised. The Conference is to deliberate on inter-Empire trading, and it will lie essential to safeguard that sea borne trade with an adequate naval defence on route, liritain it would appear lints' gone far enough, and now requires to halt while the other Powers emulate her sacrifices. Britain has been as wholehearted about army reductions as naval. Iho Briti.di Army is h size much smaller than even (lie .small pre-war Army, and even the reserve lias been ji'ho’ishod. No import mt military Power on the Continent has reduced its strength—on the contrary nearly nil their military budgets bavo 'increased. The same is true it appears, aUo with I be ai'\ When the Great War ended .Britain was the leading air power, but now afte r scrapping more than one hundred squadrons, Britain ranges only as filth. Tt '' s pointed on I Llial the United Males, though not menaced by any military anxieties—and was the originator of the Kellog I’acf 1.0 further the ideal of world peace—is now actually spend-

ing sixteen millions 'more on her army since 1924, and maintained a considerably bigger air force. Britain lias scrapped over two million tons of naval vessels, and Lords Beatty and Jellicoe have said the Navy now is not equal to safeguarding all sea routes whence food supplies are, drawn. It will be seen therefore that Britain has honoured her promise almost to the jeopardy of possible ylisaster, and that for the present British disarmament has gone far enough.