AMERICA AND BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20116, 29 November 1928, Page 11

AMERICA AND BRITAIN.

PROPOSED NAVAL PARLEY.

POLITICIAN'S SUGGESTION.

CABLEGRAM TO MR. BALDWIN.

Australian and N.Z. Presß Association. (Received November 28, 8.5 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov 27

A message from Washington says Mr. F. A. Britten, chairman of tho Naval Affaii\ Committee of the Houso of Representatives, has sent a private cablegram to the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr Baldwin, proposing that the Committee should meet a British Parliamentary Naval Committee in Canada to discuss the cruiser controversy between tho United States and Britain. *

In an interview with a representative of the United Press Mr. Britten saic\ be had not consulted tho President, Mr. Coolidge, or the State Department before acting upon his own initiative. He had prepared his message to Mr. Baldwin in his own offico and sent it in tho samo way as any private message. Mr. Britten said thero was nothing improper in his cablegram, because he had acted not only in his capacity as chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee but also as vice-president of the InterParliamentary Union. Officials of tho State Department had recalled an old statute, tho Logan Act, which forbids direct communication between a private citizen of tho United States and a foreign Government about State affairs. But tho officials had suggested that this Act was intended to apply to persons who revealed information in a harmful way and Mr. Britten said he was trying to bo helpful. Text of Mr. Britten's Cablegram. The cablegram from Mr. Britten to Mr. Baldwin said : "Recalling your desire, publicly expressed by you on November 14, for more frequent personal discussions between American and British representatives, and remembering very pleasantly my personal participation at Inter-Parliamentary conferences, both here and in Europe, I am impelled to suggest a meeting of my committee and a selected committee of members of the British Parliament for the purpose of having a friendly discussion and hearing evidenco in connection with the application of the principle of equality in sea power between Britain and the United States not already covered by tho Washington Treaty. The meeting should take place preferably in Canada after March 4, 1929.

" My suggestion is that each Committee should report, with recommendations, to its respective Government as may now Ijq done annually by the various groups of the Inter parliamentary Union. " As there is so much genuine regret among the people of Britain and America over the failure of the last Geneva naval arms limitation conference, surely some way should be found for a meeting before 1931, when the five leading naval Powers will again assemble at Washington. 1 will respect your personal desires in connection with these! suggestions." Not Military Competitors. In explaining his cablegram jir. Britten said: " The failure of the past limitation conferences has been attributed in many quarters to tho fact that they wero composed of military men. Ido not agree with that presumption, but 1 would prefer both the suggested Committees to bo composed entirely of nonmilitary men. " America's naval policy has never been competitive. On the contrary it has always been defensive and barely commensurate with the position in the world of the United States. Wo actually have been backward in promoting our new national defence.

" The people of America favour a general reduction of armaments, but only to the limit of safety. Pacifism will never reign in our red-blooded country. If it should, we are lost. " Britain and America should lead the way now toward,naval limitation ami a peaceful understanding on the seas. We must never be regarded as military competitors." Resentment in Washington.

The Washington correspondent of the New York Times says Mr. Britten's action is likely to arouse the resentment of the Government. Ho may bo accused of having mado tho proposal in order to gain publicity for himself. It goes without saying that tho Senate will bo provoked, to say tho least of it, by tho proposal that members of tho llouso of Representatives alono should represent tho United States in tho suggested international conference, says tho correspondent. A message from Ottawa savs Canadian Government officials state that Mr. Britten's suggestion for a naval parley in that country is. tho first intimation received thero of any such proposal. Tho suggestion is viewed in official circles at Ottawa as a very interesting one.