WAR DANGERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 February 1939, Page 7

WAR DANGERS

BRITAIN’S PREPARATIONS FOR EMERGENCY MIDLAND AND SOUTHERN CITIES “ON THE FRONTIER.” MEN AVAILABLE AS RECRUITS. (British Official Wireless.l RUGBY, February 14. Sir Auckland Geddes, chief adviser to Sir John Andersen, Minister in Charge of Civilian Defence Measures, speaking in Plymouth today, answered the criticism of those who thought that, with so many reserved occupations, there would be no mon left to be recruited. Figures supplied by the RegistrarGeneral showed there was a surprising total of young men who could be generally recruited. Between the ages of 18 and 25 there were 2,600,000 men, of which more than 2,000.000 would be available for recruitment for general service.

There were another 3,750,000 men between the ages of 2a and 35, less than half of whom were in reserved occupations. That meant that another 2.000,000 could be recruited, and there were many more available above the age of 35. Referring to changes in the conduct of war because of the development of aviation, Sir Auckland said that all the experience' gained in the last war was completely out of date. Circumstances, weapons, and mechanical powers were very largely transformed. The situation had so altered that it was right to think of London and the great cities of the Midlands and of the south as being on the frontier. From the point of view of air power, Britain was now a Continental nation, and her great cities wereJall within a short space of flying time from bases that might be hostile. The next war was practically certain to start with vigorous air offensives. “It may well be,” added Sir Auckland, “that never again will there be a declaration of war before a war starts. We know that we in this country wi 1 never be the aggressors, and, therefore, we have to accept the fact that we may have to parry an unexpected blow.”