The Hawera Star. MONDAY} MAY 4, 1931. NAVAL AGREEMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 4 May 1931, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY} MAY 4, 1931. NAVAL AGREEMENTS.

Delivered every evening by 6 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho, Oeo, Pihama, Opunake, Normanby, Okaiawa E Ith am, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Te Kiri, Mahoe, Lowgarth, Manutabi, Kakaramea, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Whenuakura, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Hoad, and Ararata.

When the British Government recently made a frcsli endeavour to procure a naval agreement between Prance and Italy that would include them in the limitation treaty which had already been signed by the United States, Great Britain and .Japan, it was realised that the task of reconciling the. two greatest Continental sea-Powers would be difficult. France and Italy are watching each other’s military and naval developments .jealously and with distrust. At the Washington Conference in 1921 they were at variance on the question of relative strength at sea, and in the next year the French Government started a naval reconstruction and building programme making provision to date for 160 new vessels which are now either complete, under construction, or about to be laid down. Italy was not | long in following suit, and is spending money freely in naval development. In cruiser construction Italy is actually ahead of France, and in destroyer and submarine tonnage is challenging French superiority. A naval construction race between Franco and Italy is to be deplored, as tending to force other Powers to enter into an undesirable competition in building programmes. It was, therefore, a great disappointment to Great Britain, as it was to the United States and Japan, that the London Conference of 1930 did not bring about Franco-Italian agreement as to respective naval requirements. Later in the year the British Government endeavoured to effect an agreement, but negotiations which it instituted broke down. Hope was not abandoned, however, and last month it was announced that, through British agency, France and Italy had reached an understanding in regard to relative sea strength. Aloro Tccent cable messages unfortunately suggest that the difficulties have not yet been overcome, and the diplomatic correspondent of the “Observer’’ has asserted definitely that “the Franco-Italian naval agreement is dead.’’ The latest developments seem almost to suggest that France and Italy were merely indulging in diplomatic sparring, each in the hope of gaining an advantage by the terms of Ilie proposed agreement. It would bo useless to blame one Power or the other for the deadlock when the mutual antagonism that exists is considered. The main feature of the agreement that was prematurely believed to have been adopted was a Franco-Italian “naval holiday’’ for the present, and it may be assumed that neither country found the provision highly acceptable, France because licr navy is, in some respects, inefficient as a tactical unit, owing to the jheterogeneous nature of her older craft, I and Italy because French tonnage is ' superior to Italian. The actual reasons

that prevent Franco and Italy from finding an acceptable basis for limitation are, apart from jealousy and distrust, not easily determined, but it. is quite conceivable, as a writer in an English review suggests, that both countries have some anticipations of a naval clash in the Mediterranean at a future date. Such a happening would, of course, be disastrous not only for the warring Powers, but also for the security of Europe. Incidentally, British communications would be subjected to interference. The British Government has, however, every reason for wishing to put an end to the FrancoItalian naval construction race apart altogether from the possible danger of w T ar. If competitive building continues it is likely that Great Britain may, in the interests of national safety, be forced to invoke the ‘‘escalator clause” of the Three-Power Treaty, which permits any signatory to build above the treaty quota if a menace to its security is believed to exist. To enter the building competition is the last thing that Great Britain desires, first, because naval limitation is calculated to restrict the danger of European war, and secondly, because construction is costly and the British Budget is already more than sufficiently onerous upon the tax : payer. The failure of France and Italy to agree as to the respective strength of their navies is to be regretted upon every ground as a disturbing manifestation of an apparently irreconcilable spirit. The patience of the British Government has been severely taxed, but it may be assumed that, as long as any possibility remains of bringing the two Powers into agreement—and the spokesmen for each country continue to protest their goodwill—its efforts towards that end will be continued.