POWER OF EXAMPLE.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 19 March 1927, Page 5

POWER OF EXAMPLE.

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LONDON, March 17, Mr Ponsonby, during the report i stage of the Air Foroe Estimates, j moved .to reduce the Air Force by 32,000 men, pointing out that he was not acting on behalf of the Labour Party. He said he desired to attract serious consideration to disarmament by international agreement through the power of example. The Governments of the world seemed to have learned nothing from the Great War. Could imbecility go further? We had spent four years beating Germany to her knees and then eight years setting her on her feet. Disarmament would take time but the first nation with the courage to disarm would quickly be followed by others. , Mr Shepherd, seconding the motion. said it was no answer to say that war was necessary till we had! tried the method Christ propoundedi a Mr Sexton (Labour) said that he differed materially from a section of the Labourites. If Britain disarmed it would not he a case of Russia for the Russians, but England for anyone caring to come and take it. Sir S. Hoare said he desired the restriction and limitation of armaments as sincerely as the Oppositiosi, but until the present feeing of suspicion and distrust disappeared from Europe, no great advance towards disarmament v^as possible. •The amendment sought to leave Britain, defenceless. It was not a practical step to cause a limitation of the most dangerous of all arms. The amendment was neg'atived by 197 to 24.