BRITAIN’S STRENGTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 January 1939, Page 7

BRITAIN’S STRENGTH

BEST GUARANTEE OF WORLD PEACE

HOPES OF BRINGING ABOUT DISARMAMENT. OBSERVATIONS BY BRITISH MINISTERS. (British Official Wireless./ RUGBY, January 28. Measures for safeguarding world peace were referred to today in speeches by Sir John Simon. Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr Malcolm MacDonald. Colonial Secretary. Sir John Simon said that the British Government would miss no opportunity of bringing about some measure of agreed and general disarmament. In the meantime, the stronger Britain was the better the guarantee for peace. A peace policy was the best contribution which Britain could make in these dangerous times. To have one powerful Government which steadily set itself against the theory that war was inevitable and would do anything in its power to prevent incurable schisms among its neighbours, was what the world most needed.

An ill-armed Britain in a rearmed world would be no contribution to that peace which they all desired.

‘‘When we assess the position of Britain in the world today, let us not make the mistake of measuring everything by armed power alone, formidable as our gun power is,” went on Sir John. "There arc other factors of

great importance. There is our financial strength, which has remained as important a weapon of defence as ever before. The world knows that this is so. Britain is far better equipped- to face a financial crisis today than seven years ago.”

Mr Maconald, speaking in Leeds, said that many people were far too pessimistic about the prospects of 1939, but they certainly were living in very anxious days. All were conscious that over their heads hung a dark shadow, the possibility of war. Much of the war talk was based on the extraordinary assumption that Britain was weak. Those who assumed this were wrong. More than once this apparently casual and careless but free people had suddenly shown at the testing time an endurance, a reserve of strength and an obstinate will to victory which could not be equalled by any people who lived under a more restricted form of government. In urging an overwhelming response to the appeal for national service, Mr MacDonald said that there was today a new responsibility ,the , whole of which could not be thrown on Cabinet Ministers. It was the turn of the private citizen to take his hand in influencing international events. It was a matter on which all parties were united from the extreme Left to the extreme Right.

NEW AIRCRAFT FACTORY MANUFACTURE OF TRAINER MACHINES. OPENING BY SIR KINGSLEY WOOD. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 28. Sir Kingsley Wood opened the new aircraft factory at Reading, the erection of which began less than six months ago. and which will initially be engaged in fulfilling one of the biggest orders ever given for trainer aircraft, namely, the Government’s order for Miles Master two-seater monoplanes, the world's fastest trainer aircraft, with a maximum speed of 270 miles an hour.

The Secretary for Air took the opportunity to announce changes affecting the Civil Air Guard, in which there are 1400 licence-holders. Each and all of those qualifying will be grouped in three classes, according to the type of service they might render in war. Flying and training subsidies will also be increased, but. in view of the original 36,000 applications, a ban on new applications is announced.

NAVAL PRECAUTION

REINSTATEMENT OF IMMEDIATE RESERVE. ANNOUNCEMENT IN FLEET ORDERS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 28. Fleet orders announce the reinstitution of the "immediate reserve," which existed from 1912 onward, but lapsed after the war. It comprises a portion of the Royal Fleet reserves whose personnel undertake to come up for service at any time when called by individual notice, even though no Royal proclamation calling up reserve has been issued.

The new class will be opened to leading seamen, able seamen, and equivalent ratings who had from seven to 12 years’ service in the fleet and joined the fleet reserve on discharge.