BEHIND THE SCENES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 June 1927, Page 5

BEHIND THE SCENES

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE. BRITISH TAKE INITATIVE. BETTER PREPARED' PLANS. BY C A BliF. —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. GENEVA, June 24. The more one leiutnjs of erents behind the sceneis the mare obvious it becomes that Britain lias entirely taken over the. initiative amt droving force from, the United Sta tes, tihaugn tire latter is the oonveiling Power. Jib jg, no secret that Amer ican naval delegates, ill tlreir talks \ylti 1 A ll id 1 can, British and foreign ftessmcu separately or collectively, have cut an dndifforent figure compared with Lord Jelliooe, Vice-Admiral l'ield and Captain W. A. Egenbon. r llhe.se are Britain’s big three and the fail and detailed grasp they have isihawn of every aspect of the naval positions, pi effect ancl future, of all the three Powers have created a most favourable impression upon pti tjl iursts and journalists. The plain fact emerges that Britain had mwde a most complete and thorough study of the problems in readiness for a naval disarmament conference of her own calling before President Ooolidgje thud insisued ilns invitations. On the other hand the U nited States came here with ill-prepared 'and undigested schemes. Nobody therefore was surprised to learn thut t ice-Adinritiail Field was immediately appointed chairman of the technical committee. The unfortunate comparison between the calibre of the American naval personnel 'as against Britain is .shown by tbe former’s .support of «• red lie ruing somebody raised that Britain, with its vast mercantile marine, can most quickly acquire an equivalent of increased cruiser strength by mounting guns on liners. Though the Americans will not admit it, the real issue behind the United States’ desire for causer strength is her lack of naval bVusets throughout the world and the consequent feeling that die must have a wider range of ships than Britain, with her bases in every ocean.

TECHNIC!ANS AT WORK. At present the conference is sectionally carrying on cvuv ei sat-ions at the various hotels. Specia'i'isits are dealing with cruisers and other technical questions. anectiiug dcstr oyeis. and .submarines. The 'technicians are expected to report on a. basis ot agreed facts almost immediately, when the Towers- wilt be in possession of info'imation as to the position of each regarding auxiliaries-, built, 'building or authorised. Britain’s policy -is fira.nbnes<s, and her ultimate desire to induce 1* ranee and Italy to jom the convention is shown by the fact that the obseiwers. of those nations, have ibeeu admitted to the proceedings of the technical committee. So far, however, this lias not modified the sarcasm of the French Pross. “Le Temps” is moderately critical, but the more popular newspapers do not hesitate to congratulate themselves on not joining “the Geneva farce, ’ cynically declaring that “when the end comes, we mill kniow what to do-.” Yesterday was devotee! to exchanges of views. Air. Gibson lengthily interviewed the Rt. Hon. W. Cl Bridgeiman concerning fhe main lines ot the British and American schemes and planning the work of the conference, there is a note of optimism in all. three camps. British official circles have intimated that the plenary session is expected to open early next week.

DISCUSSIONS ON ORUrSEIRS. 31r. Gib-soil, interviewed, said: There is no oau.se lor pesisimi.ism. \\ e are trying to find r» common denominator. There a,re .still many dumplings to .swallow, but. we 'are siure to 'arrive at an agreement co-iioernuig auxiliary snips. Inside' the naval experts’, committee the Japanese' me persistent questioners, the British, 'answering inquiries asked about the proposed lengthening of the lives of warships. Hie experts replied that experience lliad shown that a cruiser’s hull remained ill good condition much longer than, the present replacement periods. With two overhauls and new sets of boilers they would last nearly a quarter cf ■& century. This was one of the most effective ways ojf .reducing the taxpayers’ burden. The same applied to lengthening the periods of service of destroyers and submarines.

Vice-Admiral Field and Captain lilgerton vigorously championed the JI. im.'ii suggestion for a further reduction in the siize iamd gun power of cruisers on the ground that every Power bad built up to the Washington maximum cruiser limit. They emphasised that the balance would not be changed because the Washington rating would be retained though the maximum size and power of cruisers would be reduced. The American experts, in answer to Japanese inquiries admitted that they were proposing to exempt from the purview of the present conference* firstly, surface naval vessels under but) tons, secondly surface combatant vessels between 6CO and 3000 tons and under 17 knots and thirdly, all vessels not built as fighting tsliaps provided they did not mount guns over five ami a half inches. This is clearly aimed against the British war-time practice oi mounting six-inch guns on liners. The object of considering the cruiser and destroyer tonnage totals together was .to prevent the scrapping of comparatively good ships of one class and replacing them with others ot a different class. The lit. Hon. Brulgeiiian entertained at dinner the American delegation for the purpose of enabling them to meet the Dominion representatives, who are working in closest combination with tno Ad natality experts.

PARITY OF U.S.A. AND BRITAIN LONDON, June 24. The “New York World” in a remarii able leader <>u the Genova Oouleieuce, savs: “The economic position and the growing power of the 1 uiteil States lender it certain that Britain cannot maintain in the twentieth, century the same relative predominance or .the world which she enjoyed m the nine teenth century. “All that Statesmen can do .is to take measures which will render peaceable Britain’* descent from supremacy to pMirity and America’s ascent to an equ'ail sha re in world aff airs. l lie Washington Conference was the first phase and the; present Geneva Contercii.ce is the second of that great trans- “ God willing, other phase* will be ns reasonable as 1 these. The _ supiemy es of States mans] up m this gen cm ahnn will turn on whether the parity of 1 United States with Britain, which is inevitable, is to become an equality of co-operating partners or a conflict ot ' "'“That it ougM- to he the equality of co-operation goes; withwt . saving, u rivalry between the Bnghsh-spenkmg

peopie.s, .so matched in power, would be the worst 'disaster which could (befall mankind.” JAP A N BSE 0t [‘l NlO NS. TOdvlO, June 24. . A high naval officer frankly gave the Japanese naval view oi the Geneva prope sals. He described the British as a noble plan, but did not conceal the Japanese dislike for some provisions. * The chief objection is the age limit. Japan considers that a cruiser 24 yeans old iis of little fighting value. Japan does not object to a reduction in the size of capital ‘Ships.. but sees uo reason for reducing their gun calibre. She could not accept the 5-5-3 ratio in '10.003-ton cruisers and the limitation of other cruiser ‘armaments tQ' six inch guns. Japan does not question Britain’s right to build a Singapore base, and certainly does not expect war with Britain. Nevertheless. Singapore brings a third battle fleet in the Western Pacific and greatly increases the British fleet’s mobility, factors whir'll cannot be excluded in calculating naval strength. Japan will not make Singapore an issue but it is impossible to ignore it in discussions. SUBM A,TUNES TAOKBEB. LONDON, June 24. The “Morning Post’s” Geneva correspondent fettites that experts, searching for common ground from, which to begin building up an agreement, followed the line of least .resistance by tac-kliing submarines, whereon an agreement is likely by the week-end on the basis of decreeing two types. This compromise is the result of the tact and skill, of British.exports. The next step will bo the destroyers.