FRANCE’S NAVY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1930, Page 6

FRANCE’S NAVY

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph— Copyright).

'LONDON, Feb. 14

The Daily News states: —The French statement demonstrates that- France alone among the nations of the world will become a first-class Power both as a military and. a naval Power. It is not a crime against civilisation, but it provides food for ) reflection. The real question is whether M. Tardieu’s figures represent France’s last word. It they do,. the prospects of the Naval Conference are not bright. Mr Stimson (11.8. A. Secretary) is giving a luncheon to the Dominion delegates at a., country house, “Stanmore,” on Sunday. German naval circles are apparently keenly following the work of 1 the Naval Conference. They comment on what they term the hypocrisy of the French alarm over the new German battleship, “Ersatz Preussen,” and allege that France in the next live years is likely to lmild four fifteen thousand ton super cruisers, more heavily armed than the

Ersatz Preussen.” The German Foreign Office describes the introduction of the “Ersatz Preussen” into the London discussion as “a poisoned bullet.” The “Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” says': ‘‘lf M. Tardieu’s statement is intended as a hint to Gcrnkiny not to continue building pocket battleships, it will fall on deaf ears. The Ministry of Defence is determined to build to the limit of the Versailles I reatv, despite the Socialist opposition.”