1939-02-06 — Page 2

An

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 6, 1989.

How Defence Committee

Works

Power Behind War Machine

authoritative account of the machinery of the Committee of Imperial Defence was unfolded by its secretary, Major-Gen. H. L. Ismay, at the Royal United Service Institution. Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for the Co-ordination of De- fence, presided.

It is, in fact, the first time that the veil has been lift- ed which has covered this all-important organ of State during the 34 years of its life. Extreme discretion was naturally observed by Gen.

Ismay and there were no revelations.

It must have been, however, to the general public an extremely in- teresting account of the gradual growth of this extraordinary body that has entwined its tentacles into and of State every Department knitted them all together into one vast defence staff without disturb- ing the constitutional fabric in any

way.

CABINET DECIDES

The strategy and planning; The organisation for war, in- cluding civil defence, home de- fence, censorship and war emer- gency legislation;

The man-power group; The supply group, including munitions, food and oil; and

The miscellaneous group, in- cluding research and experiment. There were 409 meetings of the The lecturer described how it C.I.D. itself and its sub-committees, owed its origin to the Esher Com-attended by 876 persons, during the mittee and to the need of the "co-last 12 months. ordination," that magic word, of defence problems. The principles proved sound.

MORE DRASTIC STEPS

Gen. Ismay, in his final remarks, claimed that the C.I.D. was a flexi- It has no executive authority; it ble. and progressive organism, only co-ordinates and advises. It is which could be adapted to meet any

future demands.

the Cabinet that decides; though, in fact, the departments in most The story, indeed, is one of a re- cases act on the recommendations | markable development of machinery of the C.I.D., composed as which is characteristic of the Bri- it is of the most pro-tish genius for compromise and minent members of the Cabinet. adaptability, for evolution rather Constitutionally, however, the Ca- than revolution. binet is the executive.

But there are

we can go

It has been guided throughout its We were told a fascinating story existence by that great man, Sir of the ramifications of the war Maurice Hankey, and a supremely preparations, chiefly by means of competent staff. It is probably the sub-committees, which took place extreme limit in organisation and prior to 1914, ensuring that all au- co-ordination. to 'which thorities should work to a pro- without disturbing existing con- gramme, that the necessary legisla- | stitutional checks and traditions. tion should be ready and that the

some who think Dominions should be kept inform- that yet more drastic steps must ed.

be taken in unity of command and During the war the War Council, control if we are not to be outdis. then the War Committee, and final-tanced in swiftness of ly the War Cabinet were evolved, by the totalitarian States. but the functions of the C.ID. re- mained. The lecturer remarked that there was good reason to believe that none of the other belligerents evolved anything better, quoting Gen. Ludendorff's complaints about his own Government.

execution

SWEDEN TO HAVE 2 NEW BATTLESHIPS

The King of Sweden recently opened the 1939 session of the Riksdag the Swedish Parliament

FUTURE WAR PROBLEM We were then given a brief glim- pse of the Higher Direction of a future war, the crux being to devise a system which will combine rapid and effective executive action with with the traditional ceremony. the maintenance of Cabinet con- In his speech from the Throne, trol.

the King said that a naval arma- Two new factors have arisen:ments agreement between the nort- first, the air, and, secondly, the hern countries and Great Britain fact that the whole resources of would be placed before the Riksdag the nation will in future befor. ratification, as well as proposals: mobilised. Evolution has proceeded for the amendment of the League and a Chiefs of Staff Sub-Com-| Covenant, whereby the Covenant mittee was created, and then in would be separated from the peace 1986 a Minister for the Co-ordina- | treaties. tion of 'Defence.

The Swedish Budget estimates ex- penditure for 1989-40 at £82,188,150, an increase of £5,705,900 compared with the current year.

Gen. Ismay then proceeded to defend and justify the system of working by committees and sub- committees as the means of #8 The national defence estimate is sembling the team most appropriate | £11,950,000, as compared with to each case.

He proceeded to describe in some detail the working of five main

· groups of sub-committees:

Work

Norfolk has its own "Maginot Line" in the form of sea defence work at Horsey, scene of the devasting flood last February. commenced on April 8th and has not ceased since. A vast concrete wall is being constructed and in four years time it is anticipated that a wall containing 50,000 tons of concrete and 4,000 tons of steel will give permament protection to eight miles of const between Win- terton and Happisburgh. Behind the wall Marram grass is being planted on sandhills to hold sand together,

CVETKOVITCH TO MAGINOT LINE FORM CABINET

FOR UNITED

IN YUGO-SLAVIA STATES

£9,000,000 for 1988. Two new bat-` tleships are contemplated, to cost about £1,850,000 each, as well as two destroyers and two submarines. I

Belgrade, To-day.

The crisis caused by resignation of the Stoyadinovitch Cabinet has

Guantanamo, Jan. 28.

According to well-informed

found rapid solution by appoint- circles here, the Panama Canal is ment of M. Cvetkovitch, who was to be made practically invulnerable Minister of Social Politics and Public Health in the late cabinet to any attack from Europe.

mo-

and one of closest collaborators of

These circles revealed that com- Stoyadinovitch as Prime Minister.

United Cvetkovitch was one of the five petent quarters in the

States were studying a plan for a Ministers whose resignation, tivated by dissatisfaction with the defence line passing through Cuba, policy of Stoyadinovitch towards Haiti, Puerto Rico, and San Do- mingo. This would be a sort of Croats, precipitated the crisis.

The new Premier is regarded as naval "Maginot Line" of the Ameri- Culebra at- the Eastern section of an advocate of the policy of con- can continent. The fortification of ciliation and the intention is

Island and the Western part of tributed to him of wishing to per-

Puerto Rico would form an invin- Matschek suade the Croat leader, to cooperate actively with the gov-cible defence line for the Panama

Canal.. ernment.

the Political circles hope that new. Cabinet will have the support of the opposition group headed by Matschek, who recently stressed his readiness to come to an under- standing with any Yugoslav Cabinet, under certain conditions, with the exception of the Stoy- adinovitch cabinet.

Demonstrations took

Saturday evening

"PROBLEM XX”

It is learned that an increase in the number of air bases in the Caribbean Sea is also contemplat- ed.

The United States Government is also studying the fortification of the Fraile Heights near Cape Maisi on place

where long-range guns would be the before

able to prevent passage through the Los Ventos detroit separating Cuba and Haiti.

Skopshtina-Trans-Ocean.

Halifax

Speech Plaudits

London, Yesterday.

The speech of Lord Halifax, in particular what he had to say about Anglo-German trade rela- tions, is welcomed by the press this morning.

Similarly, the United States is seeking to obtain a revision of the agreement with Cuba regarding the Guantanamo naval base, in view of strengthening certain fortifica- tions.

It is also learned that the main object of "Problem XX" which is the theme of the forthcoming U.S. Naval maneuvres is to test the strength of the present defence centres in the Caribbean. Havas.

and England should be establish- ed.

"The Times" refers to that part of Hitler's last speech dealing with foreign criticism of German trade and economic policy.

**: -Bath --Conservative · morning papera; “The Times” and “Dally Telegraph" devote their leading articles to Lord' Halifax's expres- |‹

“The Times” says that if Ger- sion of the desire of England for termination of the trade, war with many wants to bring about clari-

·Germany and the hope expressed fication of Anglo-German trade by Lord Halifax that productive relations she must change her co-operation between Germany | methods,~~Trans Ocean......:

A