DE QUOI S'AGIT IL?
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] Sta,—We stand on' the edge of the precipice which is War. We must therefore look with narrowed vision to the strategy and the instruments appropriate to the immediate object—the defeat of the enemy.
The factors involved, excluding perils by sea and air, are: (a) The enemy, by every reasoning, will seek victory through a sudden, overwhelming blow, aiming at our defeat' largely by panic and starvation. If that fails, he is beaten.
(b) Therefore readiness is essential. Readiness for what? The preservation of France, Belgium and Holland. If those countries, "vital to our continued existence, are overrun, it is we who shall be beaten. They are in a vast inferiority of strength.
(c) How shall we help them? The Navy at the outset will be busy with maritime defence. The Air Force, defending our cities and our trade and aiming at air ascendancy, will have no machines to spare ; nor is it a wholly suitable weapon. Therefore our .Allies must be reinforced with an army.
(d) What kind of army? The enemy dreads a long war. We must therefore frustrate his initial operations by strengthening the frontiers of our Allies. For that purpose, infantry is mainly needed.
(e) Infantry can most quickly be made ready. Produc- tion looms big, and it is the arm which is most rapidly equipped. It needs the least training. It is more economical by far of transport than mechanised forces, with their heavy vehicles and cumbersome workshops.
(i) Is the infantry available? It is not. Regulars are few in numbers, and a million men are required. Territorials are insufficiently trained.
(g) How, then, are the troops to be obtained? By con- scription for. the- metropolitan army and by the formation of a gendarmerie- for service overseas. The obstacles to this are not insuperable.
(h) We must not reject this solution on the grounds that Armageddon may be upon us before it can be put into prac- tice ; otherwise crisis after crisis will find us equally un- prepared. (i) But national unity is essential to our effective action. How is it to be attained? By mutual concession. The Oppo- sition have opposed conscription ; the Government have opposed collective security. Let each give way. The world will then be shown the spectacle of a united Britain ready for any sacrifice in the defence of her Empire and in the open restraint of aggression. There could be no better guarantee of the preservation of peace.—Yours faithfully,
Previous page
