ARMS & PEACE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 February 1939, Page 5

ARMS & PEACE

MR CHAMBERLAIN’S HOPES RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE VITAL. DEMONSTRATION OF BRITISH STRENGTH. (British Official Wireless.' RUGBY, February 22. In his speech at Blackpool, the British Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) cited, figures of the growth of defence expenditure from about £114,000,000 annually in the first five years of the National Government to £580,000,000 in the coming financial year as evidence of the effective progress of rearmament. Ships, guns, aeroplanes, and munitions were now pouring out of the yards and factories in a stream which was constantly increasing in volume, he said, and the position today, even as compared with that of a few months ago, had been enormously strengthened. He also thought that these huge figures served to bring home the immensity of British financial resources, which enabled the country not only to find such colossal sums but to contemplate their expenditure without any appreciable disturbance in the confidence which was the basis of its financial credit. “And when we reflect that what we are now considering is the effort of this country alone, without taking any account of the contribution that could be made, if the need arose, by the great Dominions or by otir Allies and friends outside the British Empire,” he added, “we may well feel, in the words of our own Shakespeare, ‘Come the three corners of the world in arms, and we shall shock them.’ “I do not speak these words in any boastful, still, less in any aggressive, spirit. Our armaments threaten no one, nor have we any thought but ol friendliness to any people in the world.

"My own most earnest desire in life is to see the establishment of peace and confidence that it can be preserved, and I believe that as soon as a substantial measure of that confidence can be achieved it will be possible to set about the task of disarmament by general agreement. “No country embarks upon this ruinous form of expenditure for the fun of the thing. They do it because they are afraid of what may happen to them if they disarm. Remove that fear, and disarmament will follow automatically.” 1 In connection with unemployment, Mr Chamberlain said that anxiety about the international’ situation was playing a large part among the causes of the higher level it had reached. TRADE & EMPLOYMENT. “I have often remarked that even a slight improvement in trade generally does more to reduce unemployment than all the artificial remedies anyone ever thought of, and it is a most significant fact that the easing of the international tension which made itself felt after Herr Hitler’s speech produced an instantaneous improvement in the trade reports which came to the Government from all parts of the country,” he said. “That is a circumstance which, coupled with the prospect of a speedy termination of the Spanish war and various other indications, encourages me to hope that the forces making for an upward turn in the trend of trade may be allowed this year to have the opportunity of developing their effect unhampered by political anxieties. “If I am right we shall reap the reward of our foreign policy not only in more stable peace of mind but also m an increase of employment among our people.”

VAST POTENTIAL DEMAND. There existed a vast potential demand for goods which was being held back by uneasiness about international affairs and would make itself felt as confidence was restored. “I therefore welcome , most heartily the recent agreement between the coal industries of Germany and Britain,” he said. “That is to be followed by negotiations between representatives of German and British industries in general and, moreover, Mr Stanley will next month visit Berlin, thus carrying further the practice of personal contact which already has had such valuable results. “It may well be that this approach by way of trade, in which we have common interests, may turn out to be the best and quickest way o’? bringing about a better understanding between our two countries. “I agree witn the words spoken by Herr Hitler last month when he said that co-operation between our peoples in full confidence with one another would be fortunate for the whole world. Confidence is not born in r day, and when once it has been disturbed it takes time to restore it. But a little goodwill on both sides has a wonderfully healing effect, and for my part I look forward to the future with high hopes that it will prove happier than the past.”