1938-05-26 — Page 5

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 26, 1938..

AIR DEFENCE DEBATE IN THE COMMONS

London, To-day. ·

The debate on aerial rearmament in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon was opened by the Labour member, Mr. Hugh Dalton, who on behalf of the Opposition demanded the examin- ation off all problems connected with the aerial rearmament......

Aeroplane production should be thoroughly looked into, as also should be the internal organisation of the Air Ministry, declared Mr. Dalton. The question of ground defence, all-metal monoplane, engines including anti-aircraft batteries and super-efficiency and the balloon barrages should be examin-pitch airscrew ed, continued Mr. Dalton, who refer to the comparison Mr. Dalton between the present supported his demands by point- had drawn

of variable and went on to

ing out that through the change of day rate of production and that in personnel in the Air Ministry, the the Great War. Prime Minister had had to admit that several matters still had to be put in order.

CHALK AND CHEESE

Mr. Dalton, he said, was com- Germany's superiority to England paring things as different as chalk from cheese. The first squadron in the air was a serious matter as

of Bulldogs formed in 1919 Germany possessed at least 750 more!

had સ top speed of 120 first-line military planes than Bri- m.p.h. The first squadron tain and the lead was probably still of Gauntlets formed in 1925 had a greater.

top speed of 230 m.p.h. But now Mr. Dalton then criticised the

they had passed the 300 m.p.h. composition of the Air Ministry, mark and the Spitfires were the pointing out that as far as he knew fastest fighter service squadrons not a single member of the Air anywhere in the world. Council possessed any technical qualifications nor had flown in aeroplane, quite apart from

In speaking of bombers he could an not, of course, disclose the range not

or bomb loads of the latest types, being able to pilot a plane or fire but those in service were the fastest the guns.

bombers in the world, and new In conclusion, Mr. Dalton dealt types which were now on order with ground defence and air raid showed such a marked advance on precautions and criticised the ex-those in service in all respects that port of aeroplanes to foreign coun- he thought it was very unlikely tries.

PREMIER'S REPLY

that their performance would be surpassed by the bombers of any other country.

SHADOW FACTORIES Speaking of the shadow factor-

The Prime Minister, first to re- ply, declared by way of introduc- tion that he regarded the Opposi- tion motion as a vote of censure if ies, object of which was to give a not formulated as such. Mr. Cham- great increase in war potential, said there was berlain stated that he did not wish Mr. Chamberlain

were

to deny that progress in aerial re-jno part of Britain's air defence armament had not come up to ex-which had made a deeper impres- pectations and had caused some dis- sion on foreign visitors. appointment but at the same Bri- He next answered advocates of mass production, anc tain- to-day-possessed an air arm of so-called which any country could be proud mentioned that while in an ordin~ and which when called upon, could ary motorcar engine there

about seventeen hundred parts, in prove its great strength.

bomber there were The demand for an enquiry could the modern

en- not be met, continued the Prime eleven thousand parts to the Minister, as he did not believe it gine alone, and upwards of seventy would serve the purposes for which thousand for the rest of the plane. The Prime Minister next turned t would be instituted.

To-day speed was an essential fac-to the question of a Ministry of tor in order to make up arrears. Supply. He commented on the num- ber of rival proposals before the The enquiry, however would only detract from the activity of the public but declared that all of Air Ministry and the aeroplane in-them suffered from the disadvan- tage that they would dislocate the dustry. Trans-Ocean.

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THOROUGH METHODS

prepared another, both regarding materials more than they are Referring to the new Secretary working well.

CONTINUOUS SESSION

grant the enquiry. Noone must im for Air, the Prime Minister said

and labour. He described in detail the func-

MINISTRY OF SUPPLY Jagine from that we have not every he thought the reputation which

"My nerve to complete our ‹programmes. The Premier continued: Sir Kingsley Wood had gained in tioning of the principal supply of-

*view is that although at the earliest possible moment." the various offices he had already ficers committee, which was a sub-

of a Ministry

AIR PARITY held would be

in actual somė guarantee to committee of the Committee of Im-own

This committee,

and In conclusion, Mr. Chamberlain the House that his methods would perial Defence.

indeed we have all plans ready for took up the question of air parity be thorough and that he would which was practically in contin- Supply would be essential spare no pains to carry out the uous session, on which all Govern-

ment departments concerned were such a Ministry to be put into opera- and reiterated his previously

do pressed view that first line strength duties expected of him.

acted tion in such circumstances-I

Supply was only one of the factors to be Mr. Chamberlain stoutly defend-represented and which ed Lord Swinton, in appreciation through the sub-committee, presid- not believe a Ministry of

He added that he very much" de- of whose serivces he spoke at ed over by leading men drawn n peacetime is going to be as effec-taken into account.

single country from the industry itself, had as tive as the Ministry of Munitions length.

In arguing the importance of sessed what would be the probable was in the Great War unless you precated taking a

air power. He thought such as- holding the balance between the demand for any particular commo- give it the same powers as the always for comparison in judging

Ministry of Munitions had. obvious advantages of standardisa-dity in wartime.

"I doubt whether we should be sessments should be made in a way It had inspected hundreds of tion and reduction to a minimum of types and need for experimenta-factories all over the country and ustified in asking for such powers which implied no challenge to any

LABOUR DEMAND. tion and adoption of the latest ad- had now allocated the capacity for in time of peace. By setting up a other country.

Proposing 'the Labour motion, vances, he mentioned three de-feach of those commodities, and Ministry of Supply you would add did not fully nothing to the efficiency of the sys-

Mr. Dalton claimed that recent po velopments of recent years which where the capacity had necessitated substantial altera-exist it had taken, or was.. taking,,tem.-

"For the reasons I have given,litical changes at the Air Ministry tions in design and in their steps to supply the deficiency,

It handled all questions of prior- the Government are not prepared to mounted to an admission by the

(Continued on Page 10) cumulative effect on speed and

the ity as between one department and set up a Ministry of Supply any manoeuvre even in strategy -

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