NAVAL RIVALRY.

Grey River Argus, 8 December 1928, Page 8

NAVAL RIVALRY.

With United States. BRITTEN’S PROPOSAL. “WITHOUT PRECEDENT.'WASHINGTON, December 1. Chairman Britten said to-day that “the people of England and the United States sincerely desire their Governments to get together on naval limitations, and I feel that their de sires will bo gratified through the calling of another conference.” He expressed the belief that public discus sions on his proposals were doing much to bring another conference. The “New York Times’s” Wash ington correspondent states. Officials here have expressed no surprise" that Mr Baldwin has turned the cold Moulder to Chairman Britten’s proposal. It is realised here that its acceptance would set a precedent which might cause trouble for America itself in future. It has also come to light that the State Department., has been. engaged for some time in discouraging quasi-negotiations between American' citizens and Foreign Governments in respect to matters in controversy or otherwise concerning international relations. The officials disagreed emphatically with Mr Britten’s statement to-day justifying his messages to Mr Balwdin.

Following a conference of Sir Esme Howard with Mr Kellogg, the State Department announced that the Ambassador has not* submitted Mr Baldwin’s reply for transmission to Chairman Britten. Beyond stating that the proposal was without precedent, Mr Kellogg is working in harmony with Mr Britten on it. The Ambassador did not discuss the matter, but indicat ed, however, that he would not con sidcu the transmission of the reply from the British Embassy to Britten, inasmuch as it would constitute a breach of diplomatic procedure, unless approved hy the State Department. The State Department is reticent apart from leaving an impressioi that the Department would ignore Mr Britten’s communication. BRITAIN’S REPLY REFUSED. NEW YORK, December 1. The New Yotk Herald-Tribune’s Washington correspondent states: Mr Kellogg politely, but firmly, refused to accept Mr Baldwin’s reply to Mr Britten. Sir E. Howard called to-day to formally deliver the mesage “through diplomatic channels.” Mr Kellogg cordially greeted the Ambassador, but the greeting did not apply to the message he was bearing. Mr Kellogg declined to touch it. While no official version of the conversation has been disclosed, it is understood that he informed Sir E. Howard that the United States would continue to handle its diplomatic negotiations without assistance from outsiders, even if one of the would-be negotiators was Chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee, and even if the topic of diplomatic conversations related to naval affairs

Mr Kellogg’s action was characterised by Mr Britten to-night as “ex ccedingly improper.” He suggested that the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the House, or Senate, might feel inclined to ask the Secretary by what authority he had taken such action. KU KLUX KLAN AND KELLOGG PACT. WASHINGTON. December 1. Hiram Evans “The Imperial Wizard” of the Ku Khix Klan, has issued a lengthy statement asking the United States Senate to lay down an official legal interpretation of the Kellogg Pact, making it clear the United States will not use its economic and its military power, or abandon the Monroe Doctrine, Io uphold status quo in Europe. “One weakness of the Pact, is that it involves impractical idealism. Wo must make clear, in our acceptance of. it, that we will not do the things Europe wants us to d". ” The Chairman of the Board of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will seek action in the coming ses sion on his resolution calling a confer ence for a remodification of maritime IjAvs in war time. He will propose it as an amendment to the Naval Con struction Bill. Senator Borah said fiat the proposal goes hand in hand with a recent declaration of Lord Robert Cecil, for a revision of the maritime law. He believes that the resolution will serve as a preliminary step to a naval dis armament conference. MR BALDWIN’S STATEMENT. LONDON. December 3. In the Commons, questions were asked regarding the communications addressed to Mr Baldwin by Mr Britten, Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee of the American House of Representatives, recalling the. desire expressed by Mr Baldwin in a peech on November 13 for mor e frequent personal discussion between Am eriean and British representatives, and proposing a meeting on Canadian soil between the American Naval Affairs Committee and the Select Committee of the British House of Commons, to discuss the subject of Anglo-American equality in sea power.

The Prime Minister said that he had replied to Mr Britten, cordially reciprocating the spirit inspiring his suggestion, and sharing Mr Britten’s earnest desire for a complete understanding between the two countries. He had pointed out. howeyer. that in his speech of November 13 he was speaking, not of Legislature, but of the executives of Governments, and it was the absence, of facilities for personal intercourse between Ministers which ho regretted. Except to remove this possible misunderstanding of his speech, he felt it would not be. con sistent with the courtesy which he owed the United States Government to express any further opinion on the proposal, about which he understood they had not been consulted. He would therefore rtu/ea. his ap

0n of Mr Britten>9 sentiments. PERSONAL letter to Mr BRITTEN. WASHINGTON, December 3. Mr Britten has receive.! .. cablegram from Baldwin'. in’'wp]y Ins limitations suggestion, the eon ents Of Which he win announce t . Xn'c " f “'* n,eelii, S ° f Shi “The Cou,unt . tee - M ‘- Britten The message IR about twQ f ’ and " the Representative Laguardia suggested holding such a conference, but is aj’ianging f or the same through diplofatie channels, rather thaw appe'J,,,, direct to Mr Baldwin. NEED . FOR CRUISERS. NEW YORK, December 3. Admiral Desteiguer, Commandant of tile Third Naval District, in an address here, said: “We must operate our own ocean transports if we are to continue to prosper, and must have a well-knit naval system like England, which we can copy, to support it. Our people'to-day must make up their minds 'whether or not to take »a secondary position in the world. Our fleet and ou r wealth give us our position in world affairs to-day, and our wealth, without our fleet, would be a mere invitation for aggression. We are weak in cruisers. This is the burning question. The question is op.posed by groups undermining our national character. The fleet is necessary to preserve our economic position, because we are a great creditor nation, and people do not love their creditors.” COOLIDGE ADVOCATES FIFTEEN CRUISER BILL. WASHINGTON, December «. Pit sident Coolidge, in his last an nual message to Congress, advocated the passage of • the fifteen cruiser Bill, now pending in the Senate, with the elimination of the so. called time clause, which states that thh vessels must be begun and finished by-a certain date, and the enactment *of a farm relief measure for Government aid in handling and marketing surpluses, due to weather and seasonal conditions. It advocated the appointment of a Federal Farm Board, for the purpose with a revolving temporary loan fund. Thh President describing the condition *of the country, said “In the domestic field there is tranquility

contentment, and' harmonious relations between, management and wag ■ earners; freedom from industrial strife and highest record of years prosperity, while in tEe foreign field thkie is peace and goodwill, which comes from a mutual understanding and knowledge that problems which a short time ago., appeared ominous, are yielding to a touch of manifest friendship.”

President Coolidge added: “No Congress of the United States ever assembled on surveying the state of th!' union, has met with a more pleasing prospect than that which appears at the present time.” To other lands the United Statt's must extend “the est- measure of generosity, mod ration

end patience.” He then added: “In addition to dealing justly, we can well afford to walk humbly in peace and prosperity, which are not finalities—they are only methods. It us too easy under their influence for a nation to become selfish and degenerate.” MR BRITTEN GRATIFIED BY RESPONSE. WASHINGTON, December 6. The Hou?.e passed and ernt to the Senate, the nine million dollars Omnibus Naval Housing Bill? The largest item authorised was 1,700,000 dollars for Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, of which 1,200,000 is for the waterfront development. five hundred thousand for improving the channel, and harbour authorisations, designed to enable housing facilities to keep pace with aviation and other expenses of the service. With the naval committee on record favouring extending the 5/5/3 ratio beyond the major battlecraft, Mr Brit' ten said he hopes to gather legislators from the United States, Britain, France, Italy and Japan in conjunction with the inter-Parliamentary Union for a session At Geneva next August. Jle said that he desires to see such Conference or union of delegates in the event of the Powers themselves not moving for another arms reduction session in the meantime. Mr Britten was manifestly cheered by Mr Baldwin’s response to his suggestion, which indicated the Premier’s appreciation of the spirit promoting big cablegram. He would not agitate for the proposed British-American conference at present. “It is now up to the other fellow.” He feels that the House Naval Committee by adoption of the motion concerning the ratio signified complete approval of his hopes for a conference, although the committee did not agree with the. method of approaching Mr Baldwin, outside of the diplomatic channels.

The House passed without recording a vote the BUI authorising the modernisation, including elevation of guns, on the battleships Pennsylvania and Arizona, at a cost not to exceed 14,800 dollars. The Bill now goes to the Senate. It is authoritatively stated that opposition to the Paet appeared in committee, initiated by Senator Reed, of Missouri, who forced the calling of Mr Kellogg on Friday. Opposition is based on the ground that the treaty “would lead the United States into the World Court by a back door.” It is believed that further hearings will be sought after Air Kellogg testifies, thus delaying Senator Borah’s plan for immediate and favourable report to the Senate. Consideration of the Kellogg Treaty was deferred to-day by the Senate. Foreign Relations Committee until .Friday, when Air Kellogg has-been 'asked to appear. The Naval Committee of the House* adopted a resolution expressing the desire to have 5/5/3 ratio extended to ships, not specified by the Washington Conference,