STRIVING FOR PEACE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 46, 24 February 1939, Page 7

STRIVING FOR PEACE

THE BRITISH POLICY Opposed Only By The Irresponsible DISARMAMENT WILL FOLLOW RETURN OF CONFIDENCE (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Feb. 22. “In these days of anxiety in international affairs when huge armaments are being piled up on every hand we cannot avoid a certain anxiety lest some incident, perhaps trifling in itself, should set in motion machinery that would bring them into operation," said the Prime Minister. Mr. Neville Chamberlain, speaking in Blackburn to-night. While a large part of his speech was devoted to domestic affairs, including unemployment and the position of the cotton industry, foreign affairs and defence were also dealt with. “We know that if that dreaded event should come to pass,” continued the Prime Minister, “there is none of us or of those who are dearest to us who could count on escaping the consequences. In such conditions it seems to me that only the reckless, irresponsible, or ignorant can desire that the Government of the day should follow any other policy than the one. we have laid donw for ourselves the policy of peace through strength, which will neglect no opportunity of breaking down suspicions and antagonisms and at the same time build up steadily and resolutely, with the help of our friends within and without the Empire, a strength so formidable as to maintain our rights and liberties against any who might be rash enough to attack them.”

Defence Expenditure The Prime Minister cited figures of the growth of the defence expenditure from about £114.000,000 annually in the first of the 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 yards and factories in a stream which was constantly increasing in volume, and the position to-day, even as compared with 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 would enable 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 an effort of this country alone without taking any account of the contribution that could be made if need arose by the great Dominions or by our allies and friends outside the British Empire, we may well feel in the words of our own Shakespeare, ‘Come three corners of the world in arms and we shall shock them.’ Friendliness To All “I do not speak these words in any boastful, still less any aggressive spirit. Our armaments threaten no one. nor have we any thought but of 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 ot 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." A Cause of Unemployment Concerning 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.

"I have often remarked that even a slight improvement in trade generally does more to reduce unemployment that all artificial remedies any one ever thought of,” said the Prime Minister, “and it is a most significant fact that the easing of international tension which made itself felt after Herr Adolf Hitler* speech produced an instantaneous improvement in the trade reports which came to the Government from all parts of the country. “That is the circumstance which, coupled with the prospect of a speedy end 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 a more stable peace of mind, but also in an increase in employment among our’people.” There existed a vast potential demand for goods which was being held back by uneasiness about international affairs, and it would make itself felt as confidence was restored.