London, Nov. 2.
Mr, Neville Chamberlain's fundamental announcements of policy in respect of the strengthening of Home defence were somewhat disappointing, declared the "Daily Telegraph" this morning in a leading article.
"They failed," continued the newspaper, "to indicate that resolute and thorough-going purpose which public opinion would welcome.... One thing the country will not forgive is another fiasco.
"There is still time to save the rearmament programme from failure, but not by half measures or postpone ing necessary decisions to the last moment."
"The Times," on the other hand, approved the Prime Minister's argument in the House of Commons for the rejection of the proposal for a Ministry of Supply.
1t the Anglo-German declaration in Munich, added the paper, could be translated into a general settlement of outstanding questions, including the colonial question and the question of limitation of armaments, then no one would protest any longer that the Munich Agreement represented a defeat.
"It cannot be too often repeated," said "The Times," "that there is no inconsistency between the hope that the Munich Declaration is the first step towards a durable peace and the|last by General Chiang Kai-shek determination that our national defences shall be made efficient. Moreover, it is high time to point out that the plea, which appears to have gained currency abroad, that Great Britain during the recent emergency was a prey to complete confusion is extremely misleading."—Reuter.
Political circles here generally approve of the speech delivered in the Commons by the Prime Minister, Mr. the Cabinet will obtain a fair major when the question of the enforcement of the Anglo-Italian pact.—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.