The Struggle For Peace

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these factories will be fully employed for a long time by the
orders that have been placed with them, and side by side with
these factories comes the personnel. Recruiting has been very
satisfactory.
"A striking example is the Territorial Army, which is
called upon to play a vital part in our defence. Territorials
are asked to man the anti-aircraft guns and searchlights. These
formations were doubled during the year, and they are going
to be redoubled so that the numbers will be about 100,000.
The Territorial Army as a whole has increased during the
last three months by something like 20,000 men.
" May I say one word about Air Raid Precautions. Our
plans are steadily developing with the co-operation of local
authorities and a large number of individuals.
" Do not make any mistake about the nature of these
preparations. I have been told that when some people see
strange creatures going about in gas masks and protective
clothing they begin to think that the Government must be
anticipating that an attack is going to be made upon us in the
immediate future.
" These preparations do not mean that war is imminent.
They do not mean that war is ever coming. It will not come
if we can help it, but we have to recognise that aerial warfare
has introduced new conditions and involved the general
population in war in a way different from the time when wars
were carried on only by armies and navies.
" We cannot any longer make our preparations by building
warships or training troops in some remote and isolated spot
We have to take the public into our confidence. We have to
ask them to give a hand.
" These are not symptoms of war—they are merely mani-
festations of prudence and of common sense. I would beg you
to remember this too—what is being done here about Air
Raid Precautions is being done in a great many other countries
as well. As surely the effect upon all the peoples must be the
same; it must make them all realise what war would mean
to-day to their kith and kin if it came.
" This surely must strengthen their determination to
avoid a conflict if that be possible, and it would be quite a
mistake to suppose that public opinion has no effect even in