FRENCH FEARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 221, 18 September 1929, Page 7

FRENCH FEARS.

NAVAL AGREEMENT.

Suspicions Of Anglo-American

Accord.

AIMING AT WORLD SUPREMACY

(United Service.)

(Eeceived 10.30 a.m.)

PARIS, September 17,

Newspapers are disturbed in view of Mr. Mac Donald's forthcoming conference with President Hoover, some ventilating the fear that the negotiations will result in a formula being presented to France, Italy and Japan in a "take-it-or-leave-it" spirit.

The "Intransigeant," particularly dwelling on that point, raises the old bogey of Anglo-Saxons aiming at worldwide supremacy. Most of the London newspapers lay stress 011 the fact that a naval agreement between Britain and America would not be effective in itself, but would be only a preliminary to the five-Powers . conference. Its agreement 111 retuin must bo submitted to Parliament, which still has the power to say "yea" or "nay." The "Morning. Post" says: "We are coming to an era resembling the refinements in duelling. Ihat is to say we do not agree not to fight. What we agree about is the length of our rapiers and the calibre of our pistols, so that if we go to war we start with a parity of armaments. "The reflective mind will see that, as equality of arms has not prevented, 01 decided duels, so it will not prevent or decide war. What remains as a fundamental truth is that the danger of war is not removed by measuring weapons, but only by a conciliatory spirit—by plucking out from the heart of man those envies, hatreds, desires, needs and ambitions which lie at the root of the trouble." The "Daily Chronicle" says-: "Although the agreement is not definite we may regard a disagreement as practically precluded." The "Daily News" says it has no doubt the outstanding differences can be settled before the five-Powers conference. The "Daily Telegraph" says: "The British Government cannot concede to America what she would otherwise be willing to yield, becau.se the. five-Powers conference may make decisions the effect of which would be to leave us dangerously weak in relation tp other Powers." American Attitude Explained. Officials in Washington decline to comment on a statement cabled from London embodying the British view of the naval negotiations between Britain and America pending the visit of Mr. MacDonald. However, to many people who have .followed the .negotiations some portions of the statement ha,ve caused surprise,, as they appear to be somewhat at, variance with information received last week. . For example, the statement says America has proposed 15 6-incli gun cruisers in addition to 21 8-inch gun cruisers. It is stated that America has 10 6-inch gun cruisers in commission. No suggestion has been published that America has voluntarily proposed the construction of any more vessels of that class, as it is contended that type is not suited to America's needs. The statement.that the United States has asked for 315,000 tons of cruisers is also a surprise. The general understanding in Washington is that the American Government proposed only 255,000 tons. A suggestion that there might be an objection by some of the European Powers to the holding of the conference in London has resulted in unofficial discussions in Washington of Brussels, The Hague,. Prague, or a city in Switzerland other than Geneva.