The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 1928. THE ARMAMENTS PUZZLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10478, 7 January 1928, Page 8

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 1928. THE ARMAMENTS PUZZLE.

It would lie most i interesting to secure an absolutely : correct analysis of the United States’ official mind on the important subject of armaments and the outlawry of war. When ono takes into account the magnitude of America’s new naval programme, one cannot help being puzzled in connection with' her, Overtures to France for a /pact renouncing war and ' for. assistance in making it of a world-wide character, In the Note accompanying the proposed pact, Mr Kellogg said, inter; alia, “The .United States welcomes every opportunity of . joining ' with other Governments of the world in condemning war■ pledging ifnejv it's faith in arbitration.”' But does.that, in . the . circumstances, amount only to lipi service, or does it mean that

America’s, professions in ..that regard stand only "in the event of any peace movement being established under her aegis? There is not, after all, Inuch in her pledge hot to join with Germany in the event of a fresh Franco-German conflict because it is not open to doubt -Wit that if Ger-' many were to join in the projected peace pact the United States wopld be bound to give a similar assurance to her! It ip really not surprising that .F'rance is. pondering deeply in connection with Uncle Sam’s latest move. What many people must feel in '■their hearts is that there is no sound reason why America should not link up with the League of Nations. The general impression elsewhere will be that, if the United States plan be adopted, the League of Nations might just as well go out of existence. It is regrettable .to note, however, that a sinister motive appears to lie behind the American overtures to France. The British viewpoint is that the projection of a mammoth naval programme is to fore® the Powers to attend a further armaments conference. In short, it is held that the Yanks are piqued on account of the failure of the conference held last year at Geneva at their invitation. At any rate, British press opinion is, mainly, very caustic. The London Times, for instance, says:—

“The outside world does not detect any possible menace to America’s security and prosperity, and cannot understand the new and astonishing naval programme. “Despite President Coolidge’s deprecatory references to old-world competition in armaments, America, has definitely embarked on a competitive, and even provocative, programme, designed partly to impress British opinion which, nevertheless is tempered with a variety of considerations including a determination not to quarrel with America or compete in armaments. “It is suggested,” “The Times” adds, “that the clause enabling the president to suspend the programme, in the event of an international conference, was inserted to enable indirect pressure to be brought to bear for the organising of a further armaments conference. It must be said at once that Great Britain will not he induced to particioate t]y a false interpretation of tlie British . attitude at Geneva, which received the official sanction of the United States.”