EMPIRE DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19901, 2 June 1936, Page 3

EMPIRE DEFENCE

! POSITION OF DOMINIONS. ! —• LEAGUE OFFERS NO SHELTER. i | THE VALUE OF AEROPLANES. ' j United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. LONDON, June i. ’ j Discussing I lie Dominions and doj fence, the Manchester Guardian rej views the position in the Pacific and ; the Mediterranean. It expresses the : opinion that had League action de- . feated Signor Mussolini, with the 1 formal help ol‘ the Soviet and the informal help of the United States, there would be at least a possibility that the ; League, again aided by the United [ States, might affect ihe course of i events in Ihe Far East, but of that • there is now no sign. ' A section of the British Cabinet de--1 sires a settlement with Signor Mussoiini and the return of the British Fleet from the Mediterranean, but if that were done Ihe anxieties of tho ; Dominions would not be lessened, for the Fleet would he in Ihe North Sea. Thus for the Dominions the League offers no shelter if Signor Mussolini wins, for the British Fleet will lie immobilised in Europe. The United States, though building a great fleet, is still an observer, and the Dominions are left wondering whether Japan and Italy will yet take the wings which a Chinese proverb says should not be given tigers. Hence there is lively discussion in Australia and Canada about defence. The Guardian concludes: “The aeroplane, unequalled for mobility. j s the leadiest means by which, if the worst !i a R?? e 2’ the differen t parts of the British Commonwealth could come to one another's aid.”