COST OF ARMAMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 204, 18 August 1908, Page 3

COST OF ARMAMENTS.

MB. LLOiJJ-GMJKGfc'JS SPEECH. UiUIiNG HIE UUiLUiA'Ci OF NEW SHIPS. Received 17, 11.2 p.m. . , London, August 17. Details of Mr. Lloyd-ueorge s iui<yview at Carlsbad show that lie upheld the two-Power standard ia tue interests of Britain's defence, but pointed out tnat formidable difficulties inad to be settled in our relations witli France and .Russia, and suggested the possibility of arriving at an understanding witn Germany in the direction of limiting tlie future building of new ships and arranging the proportion for each coun-,

,P- Lloyd-George, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Si as been raisins loud complaint against the financial burden of armaments, and it has been alleged that he leads a section of the Cabinet Iriucii wishes t 0 cut down the Army *nd Navy estimates. In a speecil to Lmvursal Peace Congress on July -i>.) he suggested a good understanding with Germany, with this object in view. He deprecated mutual distrust in Britain and Germany, and is reported to iftve added:

T^ e , on 'y thing is the expenditure. ■We had an everlasting preponderance in strength at sea, yet we were notj . satisfied. We said, 'Let there be Dreadnoughts.' VVhat for? w e did not require them, for. nobody else was at that time buildiag them. of f °t™ T £' we a ! waya eWm t,U! » ee <l JwA r* Btaudard lor defence. Germany, whose army is her sole defence against invasion, Uias no twoPower standard. It is deplorable that !two great and progressive nations like Britain and Germany should be unable «T?T a understanding 'We have done this with France, Bussia, and America. \V|, y should we not rope Germany in? (Cheers), irre monejr spent on armaments might Uien ®e spent in fighting intemperance, ignorance, crime, and disease, which are worse enemies than Germany.*' _A few days later Mr. Asquith, the Prime Minister, in a speech in connection with the Congress, made it plain .that "national security must 'hold first Jlaee in the plans of those responsible for government." t' ■ I