Conservatives and Defence There was vigorous unanimity at the Conservative
Party conference on the subject of national defence and ,increased armaments. This was • attained by grafting Mr. Churchill's amendment on to Sir Edward Grigg's • resolution, and depriving the latter of a clause which asked for concentration on the task of international disarmament. It was a pity to omit this. The case for strengthening the defence forces rests largely on the necessity for fortifying the power of the League to main- tain peace by collective action. The policy of collective .security, in supporting which. Britain is the protagonist in Europe, depends demonstrably at this moment upon 33ritain's, strength, and those who urge the application of sanctions in a flagrant case of aggression cannot resist the argument for adequate forces with which in the last resort to apply them. But the objective is the triumph of League principles, and the triumph of the League carries with it the opportunity for general disarmament.. Mr. Chamber- lain said that to concentrate upon disarmament at this moment is putting the emphasis on the wrong point. That cannot be accepted. If we are to re-arm now,, it ought to ?•)e with the clearly defined purpose of reducing armaments all round the moment our objective is won.
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