NAVAL CONFERENCE OFF?

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 July 1935, Page 7

NAVAL CONFERENCE OFF?

America Apparently Abandons Hope for Meeting This Year RESULT OF BRITAIN’S DECISION NO SURPRISE OCCASIONED .United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) WASHINGTON, July 22. Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell’s announcement in the House of Commons that Britain would abandon the ratio principle of naval limitation was received with disappointment but apparently with little surprise by official circles at Washington to-day. Neither State nor Navy Department officials commented publicly, but apparently all hope is now abandoned that the naval conference scheduled for this year will be held. On the other hand it is expected that Britain will abide by tlie 5—5—3 ratio until December 31* 11937, the expiration date of the treaties of 1922 and 1930 as far as ratios are concerned. To-day President Roosevelt held a conference on foreign affairs with several advisers, during which the international situation, with particular attention to the question of maintaining the United States’ neutrality in any conflict, is reported to have been discussed. Under the projected contructicn programme the United States navy is expected to reach treaty strength in 1942, and it is unofficially indicated that the Government has no intention of going beyond that unles, some other Power creates a definite issue by literally breaking down naval treaties ENSURING NEUTRALITY Renewed discussion on efforts to ensure neutrality in any future war coincided with the. attitude of rigid official silence towards Britain’s abandonment of naval ratios. It is authoritatively learned that the discussion on the neutrality question touched upon the possibility of legislation designed to prevent the United States becoming embroiled in foreign conflicts. Four Bills affecting the United States’ interests in time of war are pending. Air. Pittman, chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, declared that the statement by Sir Bolton Eyrcs-Monsell constituted an abandonment of the Washington Treaty. “It is just another move construing treaties as only scraps of paper,” he said. Mr, Park Trammell, chairman of the Senate Naval Committee, however, expressed a belief that the British Government did not intend to open the season of naval building until 1937, American officials have pointed out that the United States has not insisted on continuing the precise 55 —3 ratio but has advocated limitation i>f navies to equality of security, as opposed to the Japanese demand for equality of armaments. JAPAN WELCOMES ACTION. Received noon to-day. TOKIO, July 23. Naval circles welcome Sir Bolton Eyres Monsell’s announcement of tho abandonment of ratios, which is considered likely materially to revive the prospects of favourable world peace. It is understood that Japan will gladly endorse the principle of disclosing building programmes.