AGREEMENT NOT DEFINITE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20363, 18 September 1929, Page 11

AGREEMENT NOT DEFINITE.

DEPENDS ON CONFERENCE.

PARLIAMENT'S LAST WORD.

LONDON PRESS OPTIMISTIC

Australian and N.Z. Press Association, (Received September 17, 10.5 p.m.)

LONDON, Sept. 17

Most of the newspapers lay stress on tho fact that a naval agreement between Britain and America would not bo effective in itself, but would bo only a preliminary to the five-Powers conference. Its agreement in return must bo submitted to Parliament, which still has

the power to say " yea " or " nay." The Morning Post says: "Wo aro coming to an era resembling tho refinements in tunnelling. That is to say wo do not agree not to fight. What wo agree about is tho length of our rapiers and tho calibre of our pistols, so that if we go to war wo start with a parity of armaments.

" Tho reflective mind will see that, as equality of arms has not prevented or decided duels, so it will not prevent or decide war. What remains as a fundamental truth is that tho danger of war is not removed by measuring weapons, but only by a conciliatory spirit—by plucking out from tho heart of man those envies, hatreds, desires, needs and ambitions which lie at the root of tho trouble."

The Daily Chronicle says: "Although the agreement is not definite wo may regard a disagreement as practically precluded."

The Daily News says it has no doubt tho outstanding differences can be settled before tho five-Powers conference.

The Daily Telegraph says: " The British Government cannot concedo to America what she would otherwise bo willing to yiold, because tho five-Powers conference may make decisions the effect of which would be to leave us dangerously weak in relation to other Powcrs.'-

AMERICAN PROPOSALS.

CONSTRUCTION OF CRUISERS.

POINT OF VIEW EXPLAINED

Australian Press Association —United Service (Received September 17, 10.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Sept. IG. Officials in Washington decline to comment on a statement cabled from London embodying tho British view of the naval negotiations between Britain and America pending the visit of Mr. Mac Donald. However, to many people who have followed the negotiations some portions of the statement have caused surpriso as they appear to be somewhat at varianco with information received last week. For example, the statement says America has proposed 15 6-inch gun cruisers in addition to 21 8-inch gun cruisers. It is stated that America has 10 6-inch gun cruisers in commission. No suggestion has been published that America has voluntarily proposed tho construction of any more vessels of that class, as it is contended that typo is not suited to America's needs. The statement that the United States has asked for 315,000 tons of cruisers is also a surprise. The general understanding in Washington is that the American Government proposed only 285,000 tons. A suggestion that there might be an objection by some of tho European Powers to the holding of tho conference in London has resulted in unofficial discussions in Washington of Brussels, tho Hague, Prague, or a city in Switzerland other than Geneva.