1939-02-22 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 22, 1989

Pago

Premier's Striking Analysis Of Rearmament's Costs

THREATENING BANKRUPTCY OF EUROPE

London, To-day.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, yes- terday resumed the defence expenditure de- bate in the House of Commons.

Mr. Chamberlain said that when he listened to the debate the previous day he felt there was an absence of the strong feeling of controversy or the symptons of anxiety which were notice- able before.

He derived the general impres- "It was only when he came to 'sion that all parts of the House that part of his speech in which were being forced by the pressure he told the House he now propos- of facts and realisation of the re-ed to divide expenditure between alities of the. situation towards revenue and borrowing, that a cer- something like general agreement tain liveliness became apparent. as to the necessity of, the arms programme they

carrying .were through, and as to the manner in which it was being conducted, par- ticularly the way in which it was being financed.

Mr. Chamberlain recalled that last year the Labour Party stressed the need for a policy based on col- lective security and the League.

OTHER MEANS

VISIBLE FRUIT

"I am aware that conclusions have been drawn from what he then said about his proposed divi- sion which did not take into full account the warning with which he ended his remarks.”

Mr. Chamberlain added. he

to

thought the strange attitude which he referred was due to the sense which was felt not only in It seemed to him to indicate that the House but throughout the the Labour Party realised it was country that the long period of ef- no use in present circumstances ap-fort in preparation and organisa- pealing to the League and that "we tion for defence was now at last had to trust to other means for beginning to bear visible fruits, maintaining peace and this country's

FRUIT OF LABOURS safety."

Replying to a Lubour interfec- "We are conscious, all of us, that tion that the Government had de- even in the last few months the stroyed the Leagus, Mr. Chamber-output of equipment and munitions

lain said:

LEAGUE FAITH

"I think that the future historian will recall that in the cause of the

of all kinds has shown a marked încrease, and that we are now. coming to the new fruits of our labours."

#

After commenting that civil de- fence had somewhat lagged behind the three chief defence services, Mr. Chamberlain said:

CONTRACTS FOR NEW BATTLESHIPS

London, To-day learned that the award of the contracts for two new battleships to Vickers-Armstrong, Newcastle, and Camell Laird, Birkenhead, is subject to settlement of certain details,

Reuter.

of the course which the Govern- ment had adopted of not appoint ing a Minister of Supply.

First result of such a change would undoubtedly be to give a set- back to that production at the very time when it was in full swing and it was desirable that it should pro- ceed still further in the same di- rection.

STRIKING FIGURE

help wondering whether this annual cost of maintenance and this increase in the program- me, together with the cost of in- terest in the Sinking Fund, might not be more than it was possible to extract from the taxpayers of current revenue.

SERIOUS. ASPECT.

Out

"That is a serious aspect, and no-one can look forward to it with a light heart. I am not now go- ing to suggest what the solution to such a problem may be.

"In my view it would be criminal to allow this situation to develop as it has been developing without making some determined effort to put a stop to it.".

Mr. Chamberlain recalled his speech in which he suggested the time had come to call a conference of leaders of the nations to agree upon disarmament.

He added: "If I could believe such a conference would produce an effective result at this moment (cries of "Try") 'I would not hesitate to call it. (Cheers).

· NOT PRACTICABLE

"I do not feel we have sufficient confidence in the world establish- ed yet to make that conference a practicable proposition at this mo-

Turning to the financial aspects, Mr. Chamberlain said: "I wonderment. whether even now the House has "Perhaps it would not be a bad grasped the full significance of the thing if we ourselves were to show scale of expenditure which is here a little more confidence and not contemplated.

Fallow ourselves to believe every tale that comes to us about the aggressive intention of others.

"I have sometimes been re-

"The sum of £580,000,000 is a igure which does not fall far short of the whole National Debt at the beginning of the Great War. That is by no means the end of story."

"MAY BE RIGHT””

the

Mr. Chamberlain recalled the statement by Mr. Pethick-Lawrence (Labour member for East Edin- burgh) in the House on Monday that there would be only power to borrow £250,000,000 to cover the last two years of the five years, and suggested that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have to come to the House again to ask a still further increase in borrowing "Even in the case of civil de-powers in the last two years. fence under Sir John Anderson,

"He may possibly be right, and the organisation of necessary mea if we have to go on borrowing sures is now falling into place, still further after the end of the "Perhaps we may come to the and I think it will not be very five years period, then of course conclusion if the League fails to long before we are able to say there would be very little signi- carry through the policy of Sanc- that our air raid precautions and ficance in the Sinking Fund which tions that it is not due to the ac-kindred measures are giving us the was contemplated, under the ori- ginal proposal of the Government.

League there has been no country which sacrificed so much, took such risks, incurred such obligations and made efforts to carry out the me-. thoda contemplated in the League's constitution as this country.

:

NO MINISTRY OF SUPPLY

tion or inaction of this country, results we desire to see.” and indeed blame cannot be attach- ed to any one country or group of countries, but the real explanation is that it had been sought to im- pose upon the League a task that was completely beyond its power.

COST OF MAINTENANCE

proached that I had accused my political opponents of warmonger. ing. I have never thought my

political opponents wanted to go to war, but I have thought that the policy they seemed to be pur- suing was one likely to lead to war.

DEFENCE ALONE

“Our armaments, vast as they are, are armaments of defence and defence alone (cheers), and if it be true that others have no more intention of aggression that we have, then the conclusion we must come to is that we are all piling up these ruinous armaments under a misunderstanding, a

"I am very much inclined to believe that there is a great doak of truth in that statement."

UNIVERSAL FOLLY Concluding, Mr. Chamberlain said: "So, while I cannot consent that we should relax our ATTI- ments in any degree until we can do so by general agreemant with others who will do the same, I do say that I feel it our duty to Mr. Chamberlain paid a tribute "I cannot help looking even fur watch every opportunity that may to Lord Chatfield, whose experience ther than that because when the come to try and persuade other fitted him for the work of co-possession and expansion of our governments of the folly of the ordination. (Lord Chatfield is De-defences has finally been complet course we are all pursuing, and to fence Co-ordination Minister). .

end a situation which, if it is ed, we shall look forward not only Mr. Chamberlain explained that to finding interest and a sinking proceeded in, must bring bank- "I do not despair that the Party Mr. Morrison's appointment as fund on the amount which we have ruptcy opposite may come to the conclu- sion that the only chance the Lord Chatfield's representative in borrowed, but we have also to look Europe." (cheers). League has of becoming an effec- the House of Commons was made forward to the annual cost of to correct the difficulty of Lord maintenance of these increased tive factor in the preservation of peace will be when it has abandon- Chatfield being in the House of forces." ed the idea that peace can be im Lords, but did not mean that Mr. Morrison was Minister of Supply. posed by force."

PLACE BY FORCE?

IMMENSE ADVANCES

to every country

Routor.

in

WEATHER FORECAST

The Prime Minister said he would The Royal Observatory reports be rash to venture upon a prophecy as to what the new cost of main- tenance may reach, but when they remembered that the Chancellor took; the amount which may be ox- pected to be received from

that a moderate anticyclono covers China, It is decreasing slightly in intensity and moving eastward. The depression has passed into the Pacific to the east of Japan.

Local forecast N. E. and E.

Referring to Sir John Simon's speech the previous day, Mr. Cham- borlain, aftor commenting upon tho The immense advances in the apparont Indifference of members output of munitions, particularly to the figures the Chancellor of aircraft and other supplies for the the Exchequer was quoting, said; Air Ministry, showed the wisdom "next year as $280,000,000 2R winds, moderate to fren; cloudy.