EMPIRE DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19892, 22 May 1936, Page 7

EMPIRE DEFENCE

BRITAIN’S ACTIVITIES. SIR THOMAS INSKIP’S REVIEW. 00-ORDINATION OF SERVICES. (Official Wireless.> (Received May 22, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, May 21. Sir Thomas Inskip, who was recently appointed Minister for the Coordination of Defence, made his first important speech in tlie House of Commons in the course of which lie reviewed the nature and scope of the work he had undertaken in the nine weeks since lie took up his appointment. He described the series of enquiries he had put in hand regarding the vulnerability of the. battleship, the organisation of the fleet and air arm, and war time food supplies, and also the preliminary steps taken for securing an adequate response from the industrial system to the needs of the defence services, particularly to the requirements of air force expansion. A Great Enterprise* To overtake the accumulated deficiencies of many years in a short period was, Sir Thomas Inskip declared, a great enterprise, tout he believed they were on the road to accomplishing it. Thy Minister drew a line of division between the Opposition and Govern-

ment supporters. The former, lie said, thought there was something ominous in the preparations the country was ■called upon to make, while the latter were persuaded that the British claims for defence did not alarm a single nation in the world but would foster world security. Collective Action. He emphasised the fact that the defence services had to be ready to take part in collective action under the Covenant of the League in circumstances which might be quite unforeseen had introduced a new factor into the problems of those who had to form strategic conceptions necessary to a complete system of defence. Speaking of the sub-committees of the Committee of Imperial Defence, which were investigating the question of the battleship and fleet air arm, Sir Thomas said it was attractive to envisage grand plans and spectacular decisions, but his inclination did not lie that wav. Nevertheless, lie would not shrink from any decision, however important, if lie were convinced it was necessary. Food in Wartime. Sir William Beveridge had agreed to serve as a chairman to another subcommittee which was investigating the all important subjects of food in wartime. All aspects of food supply would come under consideration. Scientific research was vital in the problems of defence, and the services of very eminent scientists were being utilised in the development of the schemes. A detailed survey had been made of material, operative and technical resources of industry; suitable firms ordinarily engaged in peacetime activities had been classified, inspected, tabulated and allotted to different service departments. An orderly plan had been drawn up which embraced not only such requirements as the production of shells and shell components, but provided for the factor —to which attention had been directed by I Mr Lloyd George and Sir Austen Cliam- | toerlain in the previous debates—i namely, the production of essential I tools and gauges. He hoped within a few days to arrange for the allocation of contracts for a full supply of these essentials and for the necessary acceleration of produeiion. Dealing with the expansion of the aircraft industry necessary for Hie great numbers of aircraft required by the threefold increase in tlie air force, Llic Minister explained that steps were being taken to enlist motor manufacturers in the scheme lor building up the reserve of output. They had been asked lo build new premises or extensions at the Government's expense. No Compulsory Powers. Questioned «by Mr Winston Churchill on the rapidity of production and priority of Government orders, Sir Thomas reminded tlie House that the Government had no compulsory powers. .Air Churchill, he said, was naturally impressed by the example of a foreign Government which virtually had placed a great part of their industrial systems on a wartime basis, and was inviting the British Government to follow that example, but the Gov-

ernment was trying to achieve a successful result without unduo disturbance of normal trade. it was, Sir Thomas Inskip added, conceivable that events might compel them to change Iheir mind. Proposed New Ministers. Sir Thomas said tlie Government had qVcidcd that the time had not come Tor , h V> establishment of a Ministry of Munitions. He promised In consider establishment of a Ministry of Winston Churchill asked for an assuV' nm ‘ e sir Thomas would not hesitV l ' o 10 I'lungc the country into inconvjnienee rattier than let tlie prugraimV'? (Thomas replied that if the country wjas to be involved in disaster it would** he strong and brave enough to ncsitatf to tell the country the truth.