FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1935
1935 - 0853.PDF
ENGINEER A1RCRAF AND AIRSHIPS bounded in 1909 FIRST AERONAUT/CALC1VEEKLY IN THE^WOBLD OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB No. 1373. Vol. XXVII. APRIL 18, 1935. Thursdays, Price Oil. By Post, 7 id. Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I Telegrams : Truditur. Watloo, London. Telephone : Hop 3333 (50 lines). ! HERTFORD ST.. COVENTRY. Telegrams: Autocar, Coventry. Telephone: Coventry 5210. GUILDHALL BUILDINGS, NAVIGATION ST.. BIRMINGHAM, 2. Telegrams : Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone: Midland 2971. 260, DEANSGATE, MANCHESTER, 3. Telegrams : Iliffe. Manchester. Telephone: Blackfriars 4412. 26B, RENPIELD ST. GLASGOW, C.2. Telegrams: Imfe, Glasgow* Telephone: Centra) 4857. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Home and Canada : Cther Conntries : Year, SI 13 0. Year, t'l '5 0. 6 months, 16s. 6d. 6 months, 17a. 6d. 3 months, Ha. 3d. 3 months. 8B. !M. Accelerate I REPORTS from the most responsible correspond ents at Stresa show that more was achieved there than had been expected. The unanimity of senti ment shown by the three greatest victor nations in Europe is certainly impressive, and ought to give pause to any mischievous Power which might contemplate a breach of tue peace. No attempt of any sort was made to "ring" Germany; on the contrary, Germany is in vited to join in any pact making for peace in which she is at all concerned. All the three Stresa Powers are unfeignedly anxious that Germany should co-operate fully in preserving the peace of Europe. During the Conference Sir John Simon received the welcome tidings that Germany has declared her willingness to enter into a pact of non-aggression in Eastern Europe. A pact of non-aggression is not the same thing as a pact of mutual assistance ; it is much less of a guarantee of peace. The Anglo-French proposals recently made to Germany and others were for a pact of mutual assistance in Western Europe, and Germany had already said that she was vailing to discuss that. Perhaps, after Stresa, she is more willing than she was before. It has been suggested that Germany's offer as regards Eastern Europe is a bargaining move. Even if it were so, it would not be without value, or at least sig nificance. It would suggest that Herr Hitler has been impressed with the solidarity shown at Stresa. Of recent yeais Germany has given the impression that the deity which she as a nation worships is Force, and that her national motto is '' Might is Right." It is not easy to impress a nation in that frame of mind, but a manifesta tion of power in others is likely to have some effect. Any symptom of a desire on the part of Herr Hitler to bargain is therefore welcome as a contribution to the peace of Europe. One very grave statement, however, occurs in the re- Ports from Stresa. The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph has written: "The statesmen of the three Powers have been perfectly frank in recognising the great German superiority on the land and in the air over any other European Power. This superiority— judged on the dual, consideration of numbers and effi ciency—cannot be prevented in the near future, and has probably already been established." He added : "The most important outcome in England would appear to be a strong appeal to proceed much more rapidly with the building up of a fully efficient air force." An Obvious Duty In last week's leading article Flight advised with- holdi'-] definite opinions until after Stresa, but that if that meeting had no definite result, then the question of accelerating the R.A.F. expansion programme ought to be very seriously considered. After this news of German strength in the air and on the land, we now join heartily with the correspondent of the Daily Telegraph in urging the acceleration of the programme. We do not urge this because war appears imminent. Fortu nately for all, the results of Stresa; seem calculated to postpone, at any rate, the imminence of a breach of the European peace. The reason for urging acceleration is that Britain ought not to tolerate a position of inferiority to Germany in'the air, and because it seems beyond all doubt that a display of power is the only way by which to lead Germany under her present rulers to a peace- loving frame of mind. If it is correct, as the Daily Telegraph correspondent indicates, that "German air craft now outrange and outpace the average British air craft," our weakness may prove a temptation. It is true enough, as Signor Mussolini said at a lun cheon party during the conference, that "When England, France, and Italy can agree, there is hope for peace in Europe," but such an agreement would lack conviction if there were not strength behind it. Britain certainly cannot, and must not, be content to owe her safety to the numbers and power of the French and Italian aeroplanes. An unarmed ally is not an asset but a liability. It is Britain's duty to raise an Air Force which will command respect.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
