Evening star., 1949-10-17
This Changing World
British Military Reported Concerned
At Possibility of Showdown With Reds

hOWdOWn With Reds
rency countries, has slowed con-
siderably production OF military
planes, in spite of the General
Staff's belief that war may be just
around the corner.
The military is not to be blamed
for this All it can do is inform
the cabinet of the situation as it
exists and leave it at that. The
cabinet is far more concerned
with civilian export production
and takes only perfunctory notice
Of the military's advice. The gov
ernment is proceeding with mill
tary preparations as slowly as
Neville Chamberlin, who decided
only in March. 1939-when it was
obvious that Hitler was bent on
war-to get ready for an emer-
gency.
OF course. the United States
formal pledge to step into the
breach has a good deal to do with
the British governments delays in
increasing it's war production.
Both Prime Minister Attlee and
Foreign Secretary Bevin know
that the United States has under
written Europe's military pre-
paredness and they see no reason
why We should not increase our
military production to meet the
needs of continental Europe.
Britain is doing all that is nee
essary to defend herself. She will
do whatever she can-within the
limits set by the needs of her ter
r1torial security-to help out her
allies. But in her present eco
nomic plight it would be unfair,
say her political men, to ask her
to denude her own defenses and
to delay her own economic re-
covery in order to help her Eu-
ropean partners.
For reasons which are not par
ticularly clear to foreigners, the
British government seems con-
vinced that during 1950-51 the
American Government will appro-
pirate at least $2.5OO,00o,0 900 for
European rearmament. And since
Britain is to receive only about is
per cent of this equipment, its
government sees no reason why it
should jeopardize its own security
and be more liberal with its asso-
GATES across the Channel.
Opposed Rhine Exercises.
The theme of the recently-held
British -American-Dutch air force
recently held was the
defense of Britain. The French
did not participate in those ma
neuvers because their air force is
below par right now. The real
reason, however, is that the Brit
ish turned deaf ear to sugges-
tions that similar exercises for the
defense of the Rhine and other
parts of France should follow the
British exercises.
The Defense Ministry in Lon
don showed little willingness to
yield to the French demand, not
because it meant expending gaso-
line - the shortage OF which is
causing the R.AF. grave concern
but because 1t did not wish to
encourage the French people in
the belief that the British would
defend France as well as them
selves in an emergency. 1t would
be psychologically wrong. author
tiles in London contend, to en-
courage such belief. /
The French made some extrav-
CANT requests in the summer of |
1910. because they had the ILL
founded belief that the whole of
the Royal Air Force would come
to their support. They would not
listen to reason and surrendered
when they still had some fight in |
them.
Events have proved that even If
Winston. Churchill had followed
the French request France would
have been defeated anyway and
Britain could not later have faced
the Luftwaffe. It would be unfair
and impolitic now. those in au-
thority in Britain say. to mislead
the French people by giving them
the impression that the whole
British aviation is ready and ca
pable Of fighting for France as
much as for England.