BRITAIN AND AMERICA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23637, 22 October 1938, Page 13

BRITAIN AND AMERICA

"NEVER AGAIN BE ENEMIES’* AMBASSADOR’S DECLARATION (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Oct. 20. Much interest was displayed in the speech delivered at the Navy League dinner, in which Mr Joseph Kennedy, the American Ambassador, declared that in building up her navy the United States had been able to ignore the possibility of her vessels ever having to engage British ships.

“We can allow ourselves to say that we shall never again be enemies. As far as Britain and America are concerned, the navy is an incentive not to disturb, but for peace. Mr Kennedy admitted that there was room for more harmonious relations in merchant shipping. “We have come to an agreement on naval limitation, and we are developing Atlantic aviation on a co-operative basis; there is no reason why we should not come to terms on the mercantile marine, when shipping, instead of a business, would become an adjunct to national defence.” The Daily Telegraph, commenting on the speech, says:—“ It is well known that there has been recently close contact between the British Admiralty and the United States Navy Department, leading to an agreement, for example, on the maximum tonnage and the gun calibre of future battleships. The official declaration of the absolute independence of the United States policy seems, however, in full force. We are convinced that the stronger the United States navy becomes the better it is for the peace of the world. America has proof enough that the British fleets must be strong if peace and order are to be defended.”