NOTE OF WARNING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 October 1938, Page 8

NOTE OF WARNING

NO HALT IN REARMAMENT YET LIMITATION OPPORTUNITY PERHAPS COMING. NEED OF FULL AGREEMENT WITH OTHER NATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) RUGBY. October 3. Let no one think, Mr Chamberlain said in the course of his speech, that because of the agreement at Munich, Britain could afford to call a halt in the areat programme of rearmament which was daily increasing in pace and volume. The British people must renew their determination to build up the deficiencies remaining in its defensive precautions. Nevertheless, he saw an opportunity opening up of approaching the subject of disarmament. He thought prospects were more hopeful today than at any previous time, but if disarmament were to come at all, it must come by stages and by agreement and the active co-opera-tion of other countries. In conclusion, Mr Chamberlain declared: “It is to the tasks of the winning back of confidence and the gradual removal of hostility between nations, till they feel they can safely discard their weapons one by one —it is to such tasks that I would devote what energy and time may be left to me before I hand over my office to younger men.”

THE DOMINIONS

KEPT IN CLOSEST TOUCH WITH EVENTS. MR ATTLEE’S CRITICISM. (Received This Day. 1 P.m.) LONDON. October 3. Mr Chamberlain said the Dominion Governments had been keot in the closest touch with events. “I should like to say,” he observed, “how greatly I was encouraged on each of my journeys to Germany with the knowledge that I took the Dominion Governments' good wishes. “I believe the declaration of Her)' Hitler and myself is something more than a pious expression. I made no new commitments. There was no secret understanding in our conversation hostile to any other nation.” Mr Chamberlain read the declaration adding: “The significance of the document far surpasses its actual words.” Mr Chamberlain said: “For a long period now, Britain has been engaged in a great, reaarmament programme, daily increasing in pace and volume. Let nobody think, because we signed an agreement between four Powers at Munich, that we can afford to relax our efforts or call a halt in rearmament. British disarmament can never be unilateral. We tried that once and nearly brought our to disaster.” VICTORY OF BRUTE FORGE. Mi’ 0. R. Attlee (Leader of the Opposition) said he could not feel that peace was established or that they had anything but an armistice in a state of war. There had not been a victory for reason and humanity, but for brute force. The events of the last few days constituted one of the greatest defeats England and France had ever sustained. It was a tremendous victory for Herr Hitler. Most people in this country believed that the Czechs had been betrayed by those pledged to stand by them.