Arizona republican., 1916-02-17
Debate Is Chiefly Remark able for Frank Admis- sions By Cabinet Spokes- men That Conditions Are Far from Satisfactory
DIRIGIBLE FLEET
 IS NECESSARY
A. J. Balfour Scores Sensa-
 tion of Day When He De-
 clares Mistake Made In 1 Failing to Develop Dirigi- 1 ble Airship Fleet
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

lRepuDllCan "A. F. Leased WlFeJ
 LONDON, Feb. 15.-Today's debate in parliament on the air defense of Great Britain was chiefly remarkable for the frank admissions made by the cabinets spokesmen that the present conditions are far from satisfactory. Andrew Bonar Law, secretary for the colonies A. J. Balfour, first lord of the admiralty, and H. J. Tennant. un- der secretary for war all spoke in this vein. They declared. however, that the government was doing all that was humanly possible.
 Mr. Balfour scored the sensation of the day when he declared that one of England's great mistakes in the days prior to the war was her failure to develop a dirigible airship fleet along lines similar to that of Germany.
 With regard to Zeppelins,' he said, hooking back on events, I am sorry that we did not develop that type of vessel not so much for aggression and defense as for maritime and other scouting Such airships might have played for us an important part. Ger tainly Germany has had an advantage in possessing them.
 We are doing what we can tC remedy this state of things, but l dc not pretend that when we began the race ten years behind the enemy, there .l. |. h, Nf tph- ing LID. However, something must be done and what can is being done
 The matter of Zeppelins came uI earlier in the day in the opening speech by William Joynson- Hicks Unionist, who recalled Winston Spencer Churchills statement of March, 1914, that England was to have a fleet of airships and that one of the Zeppelin type had been laid down.
 MT Churchill" continued the speak er said we had built or were build ing fifteen airships. Where are they?"
 Towards the close of his speech !dr ,Joynson- Hicks reverted to this 'amc subject, remarking:
 q have left out the possibility of oui defending ourselves from an air raio by means of airships of the Zeppelin type because we have not got any. Re- garding this lack. a heavy responsi- bility rests on the gentleman wfo was first lord of the admiralty some time ago.
 The debate on air defense was in- fir, duced by Mir. Joynson- Hicks ir moving an amendment to the dd .ress from the throne, regretting that nc nropo sal has been made therein ff ulacine the air service of the county on a firlner and stronger basis.
 At the close of the days debate, MT ,Joynson- Hicks consented to withl aw his amendment on the understanding that further opportunity would be of fered for discussion of the air pio'. lems later in the session.
 The government supporters tonight expressed the hope that the minister ial statements today would do much / clarify the atmosphere and reassnr' the government. MT. Bonar-Law' summing up of the cabinets position on air defense, in short speech wa: as follows:
 ''I make no pretense that the gov ernment is satisfied with this b'anci of the service but l assure the , < that we are trying to effect re die! for all defenses."
 Mir. Tennant, in behalf of the wal office, after outlining a new Sclen' for the co-ordination of the army, nav! and munitions department in the worl of air defense, closed with the sta, ment:
 -'While we have made strides m pro viding proper equipment and lefens for the arsenals and vulnerable point of the country the safety of every par of the United Kingdom against attacI by long range aircraft can never b. complete.'