“TARANAKI CENTRAL PRESS.” WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1936. UNIVERSAL DEFENCE TRAINING.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 310, 16 December 1936, Page 4

“TARANAKI CENTRAL PRESS.” WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1936. UNIVERSAL DEFENCE TRAINING.

A hint that Britain might have to accept universal training for defence was dropped by Sir Edward Grigg, M.P., in a recent address. The moral unity of Europe, he said, was now completely broken by the battle between the extremes —Communism and Nazism. While that conflict lasted—and it grew daily more extreme —the peace of Europe must inevitably become increasingly insecure. Both sides in this conflict were distasteful to Britons. Both were inimical to freedom. On that point there was nothing to choose between them, but Communism,, by preaching class war, undermined all national unity, and that was a sacred possession to be preserved at all cost. Britain’s only course was absolute neutrality between the contending creeds. It must be her constant effort to prevent, if she could, a clash between them and to secure for Europe a further period of peace. For a role of peacemaker, however, Britain must be strong in arms, but security was not to be had merely by spending money on armanients; More important still was the estimate which foreign nations formed of the national morale, and it was no good merely saying that British morale would prove itself sound if war were once more forced upon them. The preparation of plans for safeguarding the population against confusion under air attack was of such immense importance that the Government should no longer leave it to the local authorities but should itself and at once take over this task and deal with it on national lines at the national cost. Ihe time was coming when the nations would have to recognise that training for the defence of his home against air attack was Jie duly of every man, and in some respects of every woman, too. Britain should, therefore, begin here and now to consider the setting up of some system of universal national training, with the followingnthree objects:—(l) Physical fitness; (2) local organisation against air attack; and (3) making all Europe realise that England had not gone soft and was prepared to deal with any danger to which she might be exposed.