Singapore

Ramsay MacDonald's Labor Government has abandoned the project (TIME, Dec 29) of the British Admiralty to construct a gigantic naval base at Singapore, the great British port at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Announcement of this decision was made to the House of Commons by Secretary for Admiralty Amery in introducing the Navy Appropriations Bill.

Said the Premier: "We stand for a foreign policy of international co-oeperation through a strengthened and enlarged League of Nations, which will make possible a comprehensive agreement on elimination of armaments."

The idea of a Singapore base originated last year with the Conservative Government of the late Mr. Bonar Law and was continued by his successor, Mr. Baldwin. It was discussed by representatives of the British Dominions at the recent Imperial Conference, and was an integral part of the Conservative scheme to unify the British Empire by Imperial preference. The location of Singapore was an outcome of the Washington Conference of 1921-2, when Britain guaranteed not to increase her fortifications at her naval base of Hongkong and returned her potential base of Wei-hai-wei to China. A base at Singapore would protect (particularly in case of naval liaison with the U. S. base at Manila) the British communications with Australia and New Zealand, and would defend the right flank of her Indian possessions. It was directed against only one factor--the rising seapower of the Japanese Empire.

News of the abandonment of the Singapore base was greeted by the Dominions with disapproval. The Australian Government expressed sympathy with Mr. MacDonald's foreign policy, but held that it would be jeopardized by a reduction in the possibilities of mobilization of the British fleet, and argued that such reduction would reduce the Government's international influence. The Governments of New Zealand and Newfoundland took the same attitude. Premier Baldwin voiced conservative opposition to the abandonment.

Only General Smuts, Premier of the South African Government, endorsed the Government's stand, stating that it was a bold move towards enduring peace. South Africa would hardly share in the strategic benefits of a Singapore base.