The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1929. THE KING AND THE CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 20364, 21 December 1929, Page 14

The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1929. THE KING AND THE CONFERENCE.

The fact that His Majesty the King will open the first public plenary meeting ot : the Naval Conference to bo held next month makes the greatest tribute that could be paid to its importance. Wo aro unable to remember that the King has done anything like it before. Tho occasions of his personal appearance in affairs which involve the shaping of history aro very strictly limited. Ho does not even open tho Imperial Conferences, though it would seem to bo a perfectly natural thing that he should do so, the more so as the importance of the oversea States of the Empire, and of those periodical meetings of their Prime Ministers, has grown. The act might be thought to bo almost a necessary corollary to the opening of the British Parliament, legislating no more now for dominions beyond Groat Britain, which he performs regularly. But the Imperial Conference begins with an address of greeting to the King and Queen; the King does not inaugurate its sessions, and the first welcome to its far-coining representatives is given not by him, but by tho Prime Minister of Great Britain. He did not open the industrial Conference, to promote a better feeling between employers and workers; which was held last year, though nobody can have hoped more tor its success. The King’s father was called “ the peacemaker,” and the honour ho will pay to the Naval Conference is an earnest of his love for peace. Americans have an old prejudice against Kings, but the sympathy which he showed wi.tli all his people’s trials and concern to share them as far as possible during the trying war years made them recognise King George as a man. They will know how to appreciate his opening of the conference, which, as has been pointed out, is made more fitting when it is performed by a sailor King. The occasion will have a further gratification for his subjects, since it signifies his complete return to health after tho long illness which made a cloud of fear for his whole Empire a year ago. There has been no deficiency in the preparations for this conference, such as caused the collapse of its Geneva forerunner of two years ago. The preliminary discussions between Great Britain and America have been followed by like exchanges of views among all the Powers concerned, and it is known already, in considerable measure, where all the parties stand. There are differences between France and Italy which will bo hard to reconcile, but tho views of Japan, announced in some detail by Baron Wakatsnki during tho week, threaten no embarrassment to tho conference. She must have submarines, but not an unlimited number of them. Thei’e was never the slightest hope that the submarine could bb abolished by international agreement. Japan’s attitude in regard to cruisers is distinctly moderate. Baron akatsuki Lopes that battleships may be ultimately abolished, but the time for that has not come yet. A surprise has been caused by a naval writer’s announcement that, by tho measurement of Mr Hoover’s yardstick, tho American Navy, contrary to general impression, is already, in all but small cruisers, greatly superior to the British. The discovery must mave come as a staid to Mr Bywater himself, who reports it, for hut a few months ago his own study of the naval strengths led him to a different conclusion. By 1933, lie was then arguing, the British and Am’clfican heavy cruising fleets would have reached almost mathematical equality in numbers and tonnage. If America has already the lead, tho fact has no groat importance, first, because a basis has been provisionally agreed on already between her and Groat Britain for future strengths, and again, because if America should set her heart on having tho largest navy at any cost no power on earth could prevent her, with her present wealth, from obtaining it. Reckoning only by figures, it would appear that of 1,974 warships in the seven principal navies Great Britain- has 379, as compared with 387 a year ago, 424 in 1927, 444 in 192 C, and 497 in 1925. Every year since the war her total has shown a decrease. The United States total of 549, on the other hand (swollen mainly by her great superiority iu destroyers and submarines), shows an increase of lour on last year, and compares with 542 in 1927, 543 in 1926, and 539 in 1925. Great Britain has two battleships fewer and twenty cruisers more than tho United States. Against this the list of merely “ projected ” vessels gives America fifteen and Great Britain only three cruisers. Mr Burton L. French, who is chairman of the Sub-committco for Naval Appropriations of tho American Congress, writes: “Tho cost of tho annual naval Budget for Great Britain last year was approximately 274,000,000d01, and for the United States somewhat more than 374,000,000d01. For reasonable international sea-policing powers, tho navies of the outstanding nations could be cub in two, and every necessary purpose served,”