NAVAL PARITY

Grey River Argus, 28 March 1928, Page 5

NAVAL PARITY

U.S.A. SUSPICION Of British Proposal (Received March 27 at 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 27. The United States State Department to day received from Mr Gibson (U.S.A. Naval Representative at Geneva) Lord Cushendun’s letter, on behalf of the Government of Britain, suggesting a further ahnament limitation in capital shipgj. in reducing the size limit to 30,Q00 tons and the gun calibre to 13 inches. The State Department has declined to discuss the American view of the proposal until its officials have had time and opportunity to study the communication.

While the State Department are puzzled by Britain’s purpose in instructing Lord Cushendun to hand this letter to the principal Naval Powers., it is felt that this step is a preliminary to the Naval Conference of 1931 under the Washington Treaty. One opinion here is that the acceptance of these British suggestions would mean the surrender by . the United States of its battle fleet parity, after last, year’s Naval Conference had failed to achieve parity in auxiliary craft. The letter, however, has been approached with an open mind., as it is realised that a even if some such suggestions are not acceptable outright, they are entirely feasible with technical compensating advantages.

LABOUR SUPPORTS SOVIET LONDON, March 23. The annual report of the Council of the Independent Labour Party, at the Norwich Conference, says: The bold Soviet proposals to the League have given great impetus to the discussion of the international disarmament. The party should do its utmost to inform public opinion of the importance of the proposals, compelling the League adequately to consider the matter. Tewfik Rushdi rallied to M. GENEVA, March 23. Litvinoff’s aid and demanded that the Disarmament Commission should consider the Soviet’s plan, with a view to finding th-? best means of approaching the desired ideal. • Mr Gibson (U.S.A.) said that as the result of sounding the delegates, he was of the opinion a sufficient agreement was not reached to justify beginning the second reading of the report. It was better tn leave the convening to the President’s discretion, perhaps in July and August. The Ru sians persisted that the debate had not proved the Soviet proposals were impracticable, but Chairman Loudon tabled a motion that while the proposals harmonised with mankind’s ideals, they were incapable of being executed in the existing world conditions. This was only realisable by methods of pacific procedure, systematic organisations and sanction being strengthened, therefore the work must proceed on lines already mapped out. Meanwhile, the members of the Governments will ex

amine the Soviet plans. Count Bernstorff revealed the new German viewpoint that her disarmament was contrary to the League Covenant, and had not left her sumlient forces to discharge her obligation thereto. M. Litvinoft rose late in the after noon, and announced that to-morrow hc> is submitting new proposals for parties giving up armaments, and invited immediate discussion.