RIVALRY IN NAVIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 13

RIVALRY IN NAVIES.

AMERICA AND BRITAIN.

LIFE OF THE BATTLESHIP.

WASHINGTON ON PARITY

BORAH EXPRESSES VIEWS

REDUCING BRITISH POWER

By Telecrnnh— Press Asso-intiori —Convright Au3tv' : "i \=ror : -'i'-n—United Pervice

(Received Angus' 2. 7 "> r » n.nO NEW YOTtK, Aug 1

The Washington correspondent of the United Press 'Association says it is reported on reliable authority that the examination of tho question of battleship power at tho jiext Naval Conference will involve proposals for extending tho life of battleships and decreasing their siz.o. However, it is not likely th,\t the total Abolition of battleships will be discussed. It is stated that no official proposal ever has been made in Washington for the complete elimin'tion of that type of craft, notwithstanding tho tremendous cost of building them to ho faced by tho United States and other countries beginning in 1931 under tho replacement of uhips clause of tho 1922 capital ship treaty. American officials contend that the 20-j-ear period fixed by that treaty as the lifo of a battleship is too short. It is pointed out that Britain has three battlefchips of the Hood type which are much larger than America's largest ships and that if reduction is carried out on tho lines proposed by Britain after the 1927 tripartite conference Britain would have &hips much more powerful than any possessed by or possible to tho United States.

Britain Urged to Sink Ships. Tho chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of tho Senate, Mr. W. E. Borah, in a statement to-day, urged Britain to sink some of her ships as a means of reaching parity with the United States Navy. Mr. Borah was the guest of the President, Mr. Hoover, at luncheon to-day. It is presumed that the impending Naval Conference was discussed.

Subsequently Mr. Borah issned a statement, in the course of which ho said:— Parity coupled with reduction means, a great deal, but parity coupled merely with limitations means very little. If he understood aright the reports issued by tho United States Navy Department Britain now had 59 modern cruisers and eight mo>'e in course of construction. Those constituted 375.300 tons. On the other hand, America now had 18 modern cruisers, built or under construction. If Britain would follow America's example at the Washington Conference and sink some of her ships and thus come to parity it would not only save the taxpayers, but reduce the incentive to war. If America /had to build up to parity if, would vastly increase tho burden of tho taxpayer and augment the incentive to

W'hnt America really desired was a reduction of armaments. That was the primary thing for which she was contending. If parity were used to justify building huge armaments it would become a menace instead of a security. Mr. Borah said he noticed from London despatches that Britain would not reduce her cruisers. That was very discouraging news.

MCDONALD'S POLICY. CRITICISM BY BALDWIN. RASH AND NOT NECESSARY. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received August 2, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 2. Owing to the departure for LossioBiouth of the Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonald, and a contemplated tour of Ireland by the Wed States Ambassador, Mr. C. G. Dawes, it is expected that there will be a lull in the naval negotiations between Britain iwid America.

Speaking at Malvern the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Baldwin, said there could be no complaint at the Government suspending a fresh naval programme if there Were a real chance of an agreement with the other Powers. However, be said he thought it unnecessary and rash to interfere with the existing British programme.

There was a tendency on tho part of 8 now party in; power to try to move too quickly, but " more haste less speed was truer in international politics than in any other walk of life.