NAVAL DISCUSSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20528, 1 April 1930, Page 11

NAVAL DISCUSSIONS.

ATTACK ON BRITAIN. HEARST PRESS DIATRIBE. MACDONALD'S ACTIONS. UNFRIENDLY SUGGESTION. By Telegraph —Press Association— Copyright. (Received March 31, 5.5 p.m.) LOXDON'. March 30. The London newspapers give prominence to an open letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald. originally pub lished in the Hearst press in the United Slates.

The arti'le attacks Britain's part in the Naval Conference. It asks Mr. MacDonald whether ho is the friend he pretends to be or (he " slyest, trickiest diplomat who has come out of England since Balfour sank the American Navy at the 1922 conference';"

Foreign Office officials decline to indicate the feeling in political circles, but newspapers of every shade of opinion condemn this attack.

The Sunday "Times says: " Mr. MacDonald lias critics here on other issues, but he has the backing of the nation in his unwearying effort to achieve success at the conference. The British public will agreo that the strictures published in America are reckless and blackguardly." The Daily Express says it hopes Mr. Mac Donald will not be deflected from his firmness against the embroilment of Britain in Mediterranean conflicts by the gale Mr. Hearst is blowing across the Atlantic.

The Daily Herald says: " Ihe attack is the culmination of the attempt by the Hearst press to check progress toward naval disarmament. The President of the United States, Mr. Hoover, not Mr. Hearst, speaks for America." The United States delegates refuso to comment on the article. DEMANDS 0E EKANCE. PROBLEM FOR DELEGATES. EXPERTS EXAMINE POSITION. British V/ireless. RUGBY, March 30. It is not yet clear whether any development will result from the effoits of tlio delegates to the Naval Conference, but they have not shown any disposition to relax their attention to the problems before them.

The British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Arthur Henderson, had luncheon with M. Briand, French Foreign Minister, yesterday and afterwards held a long conversation with him, which it was anangcd to continue later.

At the same time Signor Grandi (Italy) met Mr. J. T. Robinson (United States) and to-day went to Chccjuers where he lunched and talked with the Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald. Iheir conversation was directed toward obtaining tho Italian point of view upon the attempt of the conference to bridge the gap between the somewhat vague phrasing of Article 16 of the Covenant of the League of Nations and the definite demand of Franco for security.

The British spokesman this evening said that Britain was most anxious to improve tho peace-keeping machinery, but further military commitments were ab solutely impossible. Britain recognised that the attempt to find a formula which would satisfy France was extraordinarily difficult, but there was always tho possibility of obtaining a definition satisfactory to all concerned. Tho discussions were proceeding with this hope in view. Articlo 16 of the Covenant was being closely examined. Various points, which the newspapers say they understand arc related to the scope of Articles 11 and 16 of the Covenant, have been referred by the respective delegations to their experts for investigation and advice. Their examination also will include tho Locarno Treaty and tho Kellogg Pact.

Tho experts arc considering the general question without having before them any specific consideration in flic way of a Mediterranean Pact. The British Government has always taken tho view that no question of a Mediterranean Pact could be settled at a conference where several of the interested Mediterranean Powers are not represented.

It is •suggested that when the plenary session is held on Friday the American delegates may take tho opportunity of clarifying their attitude toward a consultative pact about which the press at least seems to he. in some doubt.

According to tho Times, the Daily Herald and other journals tho position at the moment is that the American delegates will not consider, participation in a consultative pact until after tho European Powers have reached an agreement regarding the Mediterranean problem and until a five Powers treaty embodying naval reductions lias been signed. Mr. Mac Donald returned to London this evening from Chequers. He will be present at to-morrow morning's meeting of tho heads of (ho delegations.