San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-25
People "Jumpy" About
!. French Superiority in
". Aerial Armament.
"FOR THE NEXT WAR"
-Four Years After World
Struggle a Race for Air
Supremacy lmpends.
Nv A. q. GARDINER.

Copyright, by The San Antonio Light.
London, March 24.-It must be adj
mitted that Frances overshadowins
supremacy in the air is creating very
serious concern throughout England.
1t constitutes a menace and is Great
ing a strained situation toward
France.
Already the debate on this subject
In the House of Lords has verged on
the bitter. While officialdom has
done everything possible to soften the
discussion, there is no Disgusting the
fact that the country as a whole is
-jumpy" over the situation
Take Lord Birkenhead's remarks
lind the statements of the usually con-
sentative Earl Grey. They insisted
that France is in position TO destroy
London at the first sign Of hostilities
between the nations. She can strike,
not only there, but against every CEN
ter of population in the British Isles
without warning.
Ridicule French Statements.
\ The French suggestions that the
air preparations are planned to con-
troll Germany are subjects of laugh
ter. They take on the atmosphere of
moonshine when the bitter assaults
against England in the French press
are considered.
But British leaders very frankly
ask how it is that France can afford
10 make such enormous expenditures
TO keep her air forces superior to the
combined air strength of the world
while ut the same time she refuses to
pay q penny on her war debt.
The British public is commencing
to realize that Great Britain helped
TO destroy Germany's colossal military
machine in order to make France the
military dictator Of all Europe. Our
very existence is menaced. We have
ten air squadrons against 140 for
France and there now is great out
cry that the government shall imme-
diately set out on a great building
program.
Burglars Do 1t. Too.
Thus four years after the great war,
the two chief allies are on the brink
of vast preparations for a competitive
armament program to get ready for
the next war. Every paper in Eng
land today is discussing this fact. 1t
In, of course, pointed out on behalf
of France that her military prepara-
tions are only intended to reinforce
her diplomatic aims, but this in no
way mitigates the situation. After all
a burglar only arms himself with a
revolver to facilitate his diplomatic
intentions.
This outstanding development has
dwarfed interest in the duel between
Lloyd-George and Asquith for control
of the Liberty party. George after a
period of complete dictatorship now
finds himself iJ1 a position of singular
isolation.
His scheme for a center party Of
personal adherents was destroyed
when the conservatives secured
clear majority in Parliament. Now,
realizing that support from that party
has vanished irrevocably he knows his
only chance to remain in public life
lies with the Liberal machine. As
Guith does not want him. Neither
does many of the rank and file. But
pleading that the interests of the
country and the dangers of socialism
must be met, he is striving to secure
admission to the Liberal councils and
endeavoring to force Asquith either
into acceptance of him as a colleague
or into a position whera the Liberal
revival will be prevented