The debate in the House of Commons on the subject of aerial bombing brought the statement from Mr. Anthony Eden, Foreign Secretary, to the effect that the competent departments of the Government, on the Government's instructions, "had initiated exhaustive work on the subject, particularly in relation to the bombing of civilian populations. The Government had accepted a resolution moved by Mr. Morgan Jones, for the Caerphilly division of Glamorganshire, expressing the opinion that the growing horror of aerial bombardment should be stated in an international agreement to cooperate for the prohibition of such bombing, and urging the Government to exert its influence towards that end. Consideration of the problem reveals all manner of difficulty ahead before the nations of the world can be brought to a frame of mind in which they would accept limitations of any sort in this matter. Not the least important is the fact that in future wars the nations involved will proceed to the general mobilization of the whole of their people, and that, whereas in the past armies and navies alone were at war, present practice contemplates the organization of the whole of the civilian population into a unit for the adequate supply and support of the men in the firing line. That is the explanation of the aerial bombing of open towns in Spain which has recently oket so much horror. Both sides consider the whole of the inhabitants in the other's territory is mobilized against it, and that, following old military practice, it is their duty to strike at the enemy wherever he may be found. It is a very hideous state of affairs, but the fact is that what is happening is a very good indication of the trend of present-day military thought which believes that it is not now, and will not be in the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.