''TOO COWARDLY''

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 713, 13 December 1933, Page 7

''TOO COWARDLY''

("Post" Special Correspondent.)

LORD HAILSHAM REPLIES TO PACIFIST TALK. MR. LANSBURY'S VIEWS.

London, October 28. Viscount Hailsham, Secretary for Wlar, speaking at a dinner of the Gity Lientenants' Club last night, strongiy criticised the speech in which Mr. Lansbury, leader of the Soci'alist party, iadvised the youth of th'e country not to join any of his Majesty's forces. Remarking that he did not wish to comment on the patriotism or good taste of the leader of any political party, Lord Hailsham issued a grave waming that the only risk of war was that other countries might think that Great Britain was determined in no circumstances to defend herself or honour her obligations to her friends. Lord Hailsham said that the duties of self-defence, which some citizens were too cowardly to undertake, must fall in a disproportionate degree on the shouldei'S of their fellow-citizens. Society was a combination of people . for m.utual assistance and protectdon. Terrible Responsibility. The rnain points of the Secretary for War's speech were: — The belief that Britain would not defend herself or her friends might induce some ambitious and greedy neighbour to attempt an aggression against a country which announced in advance its intention of offering no resistance. That ipiscalcula.tion in regard to this country h'ad been made before. A terrible responsibility rested on the shoulders of those who eneouraged such a delusion in the future. The people for whoin Mr. Lansbury seemed to make himself the advocate were those who claimed the rights and privileges of citizenship whilst divesting themselves of any responsibility. Any one leader of a political party who appealed to friends not to- join !any of the forces neeessary for policing the Empire shotwed that his party wished to shirk its sh'are o-f duty while claiming its share of benefits. The last person who wished to have war was the soldier, who had to bear the brunt of it. Britain had reduced her fighting force to- what had been accurately de-scri-bed as the edge of risk. We had given an example to all countries. Altho-ugh th-e- State had been somewhat niggardly in granting s-upplies for the forces, this country would respond at once if neeessary. Lord Hailshamj was replying to th'e toast of "The Imperial Forces of the Crown," and said that Lord Londonderry had shown that he was determined to understand the intric'acies of the Service over which he presided hy becoming an airman since he h'ad been appointed Secretary of State for Air. He wonld no doubt soon be- entitled to wear his wings. "I mean," added Lord Hailsham, "on his breast." (Laughter.)