LOOKING AHEAD AT NAVIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21844, 5 July 1934, Page 10

LOOKING AHEAD AT NAVIES

The difficulties to be faced by the next Naval Conference, due next year, are not at all exaggerated by Mr. Baldwin. Almost everywhere are signs of a general anxiety about national defence, and it is beyond reasonable probability that the Disarmament Conference will be able to achieve progress so substantial that this anxiety will be definitely removed. Doubtless naval matters will be dropped from the Geneva programme and left to the conference specifically summoned to deal with them. This means that national policies of naval construction will be continued, up to the limit envisaged by existing agreements, and thus operate against international harmony about early reduction. Certain particular facts indicate, in addition, that the corning conference will be handicapped heavily in contrast to the successful gathering at Washington in 1921-22 and the less-successful one at London in 1930. Japan, having broken with the League, is pressing for parity with Britain and the United States, and the latter Power, by the action of Congress, is engaged on a programme plainly designed to out-build all others, including Britain. France also is proceeding with a policy of unusual naval activity, which Italy frankly regards as a reason for similar viecour. Germany's claim to equality of armaments status has practical expression in naval expenditure regardless of international considerations of peace. Russia's policy offers little hope, and among the minor Powers, which are equally outside the scope of agreements, is an unpromising wish to go their several ways. In these circumstances, Britain's concern for widespread national needs has had to embody itself in new plans for maritime defence. All things' considered, the next conference will have anything but a flying start. Hence Mr. Baldwin's wise words about preparatory discussion. Without that the conference must risk almost immediate breakdown, its failure decided before it meets. On the other hand, friendly parleys begun well ahead of the due date may both check extravagantly national aims in the interval and provide a workable plan of limitation and reduction when business actually begins.