AGAINST BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 244, 15 October 1929, Page 7

AGAINST BRITAIN.

U.S. PROPAGANDA.

Bridgeman Accuses American Of Misrepresentation. "BIG NAVY" SCANDAL. ("Times" Cables.) (Keceived 11 a.m.) LONDON, October 14. Viscount Bridgeman, who as Mr. W. C. Bridgeman was First Lord, of the Admiralty in the Baldwin Cabinet, has written a* letter to the "Times" in connection with the activities at Geneva of William Shearer, the American who allegedly acted on behalf of the "Big Navy" industrial interests at the Powers' Naval Conference in 1927. Viscount Bridgeman describes the "gross misrepresentation of our objects, with the obvious intention of stirring up ill-feeling against Britain." He recalls an incident in which his statement that Britain did not intend to dispute the United States claim • for parity, was deliberately misrepresented. Viscount Bridgeman then became aware of Shearer's activities. Shearer, he discovered, had obtained a Press ticket to enter the meetings and was said to be distributing widely, violent attacks on the ■ British policy apd good faith, and making monstrous mis-statements concerning his actual proposals. The First Lord expressed surprise that Shearer was given a Press ticket but could do nothing beyond refusing to admit him to further Press conferences. '*I am thankful that Mr. Hoover has taken action. I only wish it had been possible before the close of the Geneva 1927 Conference. It would then have been cle-v, as now, that Britain had no intention of building in competition with the United States," Viscount Bridgeman concluded.