PRESS PUZZLED

Evening Post, Volume 105, Issue 4, 6 January 1928, Page 7

PRESS PUZZLED

VALUE OF ASSURANCES AMERICAN NEUTRALITY LONDON, sth January. Mr. Kellogg's invitation to the Powers puzzles the Press, especially in view of the League Assembly's resolution of September, beginning "Firstly all war is prohibited." The "Daily Telegraph's" diplomatic correspondent says that France naturally has been gratified to obtain American assurance that whatever conflict might occur between France and Germany, France would in no circumstances find America against her, but if America should give a similar assurance to Germany, ono assurance would merely: cancel out the other, so that in the event of a Franco-German conflict the belligerents would bo able to rely merely on American neutrality. i The "Morning Post's" Paris corres-1 pondent says M. Briand hoped for a strictly private personal treaty between tho two great republics, a treaty which would bo little moro than a renewal of the already existing arbitration treaties. Tho "Post" editorially asks: "Did not the League recently pass a resolution much more sweeping than Mr. Kellogg's Note?" The "Daily Telegraph" says a multilateral treaty such as Mr. Kellogg contemplate* is clearly inconsistent with tho machinery, and must bo particularly unacceptable to the French Government, which has taken the lead in urging the case for the Protocol. Tho "Daily Express" declines to associate itself w'th those critics who soe only a pious gesture, intended to soothe that section of tho American public which is agitated over tho larger navy programme. "America has been tho hopo and despair of warwearied humanity. Maybe she is rising at last to the glorious opportunity which history has assigned her."