1939-04-26 — Page 10

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lit is, the Government has dif- ficulty enough in meeting pro- blems of supply for such an army as is in being. Cónscription, in- volving the calling of between 300,000 and 500,000 to the Co- lours, would not help towards a solution, and though the temper of the country is more amenable in the face of the menacing Euro- pean situation, it is not at all cer- tain that serious national divi- sions would not be created.

There is distinct value, how- ever, in the use to which the

Hong Kong, Wednesday, April 26, 1939. Prime Minister has put the con-

CONSCRIPTION IN BRITAIN?

scription pressure. Sir Nevile Henderson's mission in Rome, to warn Herr Hitler that Britain will proceed to conscription in the absence of a more conciliatory po French pressure on Britain tolicy, will achieve one of two enforce some measure of con- things. It will have the desired scription, backed as it is by pow-effect in Germany. Or it will erful sections of the Conservative have the desired effect in Britain. Party, seems likely now to In Germany, Mr. Chamberlain achieve its purpose, despite the wants to make Britain's position recent decision to, increase the crystal clear. If Hitler remains establishment of the Territorials, pbdurate, passage of a conscrip which was obviously an indica- tion measure through Parlia- tion of the Government desire to ment will, for that very reason, avoid measures of compulsory encounter little opposition. Mr. service.

Chamberlain 'does many things

There is of course essential which are challengable. But there logic in the French argument. are occasions. when his methods. Everything hangs together in earn the description "astute." Europe, is the contention of the Quai D'Orsay, and the strength Helium Wasted of the British Army is the weak

* * *

link in the "peace chain" that It is improbable that the Ger- Lord Halifax is hoping to forge. mans in their recent discoveries. As the French see it to-day, con-of helium on the Dutch frontier scription in England can 'still made the mistake of the Ameri- save peace because (1) it woul cans in 1903, when millions of cu- encourage those allies whom they bic feet of gas from which valu- still have to resist and so main-able helium could be extracted tain in existence that "second were allowed to escape into thin front" which Hitler dreads above air. Helium was not known to all things, and (2) it would ren- have mineral sources then,

and der the defeat of the Western de-when at Dexter, Kansas, drills mocracies highly improbable. were being bored for natural gas It is held that without British it blew out with such force that divisions ready to help. France, the tools from the drill holes and far from being able to pursue a rocks were scattered sky high. big European policy, may not After great difficulty the well even be in a position to defend was capped, piped to a safe dis- her own frontiers for more than tance, and a torch applied. But a short time. The Maginot Line instead of the gas igniting, as- is not impregnable; no line of fortifications is against an inde-torch, to everyone's great disap- was expected, it extinguished the

finite accumulation of armaments

and against an unlimited number pointment. Afterwards the gas was allowed to escape as "wind of attacks, which Germany with

from the earth" or "asbestos her superior man-power could af-

gas," and it was not until · an ford to launch. Moreover the

Americas scientist discovered

Maginot Line may be turned that helium was present in the through either Belgium or Swit-

zerland. The French Army is bet-gas that attempts were made to ter trained and perhaps better tap the supply, which proved to

be the world's sole source equipped than the German and thirty-five years.

**

**

for

Italian armies; defensive warfare requires fewer men than aggres- sive warfare, but even so num-A Strange American bers count from the very start, and, from the start the propor A Mr. Moran, of Washington, tion will be about-two to three who has already distinguished and a half. Apart from that himself by a trip to the Arctic France suffers from great infer-for the avowed purpose of selling iority in the air.

refrigerators to the Eskimos, has In reply to the argument that recently hit on another bright Britain has a bigger Navy and a scheme. He demonstrated at some better Air Force than France the expense and considerable trouble usual reply in Paris is, We are just how long it takes to find a not asking you to send us five needle in a hay-stack. A couple of million soldiers; but give us an tons of hay were dumped in army one-third the size of our field; a needle was inserted with Army and we shall be content. If elaborate casualness, and Mr. Mo- you cannot have general con-Iran proceeded with the business - scription have at least some kind of finding it. He worked 16- of partial conscription. Call up hours a day-82 hours in all,— one or two 'classes' of recruits. sleeping in the stack at night and It does not matter what you call varying the monotony of his it; but have half a million train- search by selling wisps of hay to ed men as quickly as possible souvenir hunters (total receipts. or better still, a million. At that £12). When he at last found the rate 'we do not need to win a needle he posted it to a New York war; we can prevent it”

scientific institution, which must Britain's resistance is, of have been somewhat puzzled over course, traditional. The left what to do with it. wing parties are suspicious where As a "protest against employ- they are not actively hostile. They ment," which it was meant to be, feel they have a right to know Mr, Moran's demonstration seems what troops are to be used for unimpressive, but as an example before assenting, even in princi-lof practical eccentricity it could ple, to compulsory enlistment. As hardly be bettered.