NAVAL PARITY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 March 1929, Page 5

NAVAL PARITY

THE AMERICAN DEMAND AGAINST BRITAIN AT WAR. A FRANK STATEMENT. (United Press Association—By Electric Teiegrapn Copyright.; (Australian Press Association.) Received .10.5 a.m. to-dav. LONDON, March I. Mr Frank Simonds, foreign editor of the American “Review of Reviews,” in a letter to the “National Review,” says: “Explanation of the American demand for naval parity is that the mass of Americans do not believe that they have any responsibility for maintaining peace in Europe. ’ They have further resolved that the next time Europe goes to war, British navy shall not make the United States a cobelligerent with Britain. American politicians are well nigh unanimous that British sea power in 1812, 1861, and 191415 exercised a powerful and even controlling influence to the detriment of American interests. They calculate that if our fleet is equal to the British, any British Government will be compelled to refrain from interfering with what Americans regard as their rights. Thus, while the American fleet is not being built against Britain in peace, it i i 3 very deliberately being- built against, Britain at war. The fleet is being built for the express purpose of abolishing the traditional British blockade. It is a matter of supreme indifference to Americans whether the next European war is clothed with the moral authority of the League Nations, as we should sec the League decisions procured by the superior diplomatic skill of the nations. It is equally a mistake for Englishmen to think of the United States as an enemy or a friend. Bather she should be regarded as a power with a policy dictated by certain unmistakeable material and„ psychological factors. ’ ’

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28. The House to-day adopted a conference report on the Navy Appropriation Bill, carrying 360,236,697 dollars for the fiscal year of 1930, including 12,370,000 dollars for starting the construction of five new cruisers and one ’plane carrier next June Representative French announced that the second group of five cruisers would be started in June, 1930, and keels for the final five would be laid down in June, 1931. The total cost would be 274 million dlolars.