Britain's Air Policy Mr. Baldwin's promised announcement on the Govern-
ment's Air policy will no doubt have been made before -these lines appear. Comment on its content must neces- sarily be deferred, but there are certain criteria by which the Acting Prime Minister's statement may reasonably be judged. If this country is prepared to take its stand seriously on the collective system—and that is still the Government's attitude—then it must have sufficient force at its disposal to discharge its international obliga- tions, but .for.„.4he same reason it has no need for such armaments as. it would require if it expected to be pitted against some other nation in single combat. Our existing air force cannot be considered insufficient as contribu- tion to an international combination against an aggro or, (If it is our army must be four or five times as insufficient.) As to measuring our air force against those of individual nations, some regard must . be had to common sense. Germany needs watching, but she is certainly .in no position to menace us in the air today: And there could be no more unfortunate moment for suggesting that we need to build for defence against France. These are the only two States of any consequence within air range. Our oversea needs, of course, must be considered, but there can be no sort of excuse for the kind of ambitious programme Mr. Churchill and others are demanding. It is much more important to concentrate new efforts on securing an international air convention.
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