NAVAL TREATY

Southland Times, Issue 21090, 23 May 1930, Page 7

NAVAL TREATY

■CRUISER PROVISIONS ALLOTMENT-TO UNITED STATES DOMINIONS’ STAND (United Press Assn.-By Telegraph-Copyright) Washington, May 21. Senator Reed, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Australia and New Zealand had refused to sign the London Treaty if the United States was permitted 21 Bin. cruisers. The disclosure was made in reply to Admiral Pringle’s insistence that the United States should have maintained the Navy General Board’s demand for this number. Senator Reed, who was a delegate to the Naval Conference, explained that Australia and New Zealand contended that this allotment for the United States would have increased Japan's cruiser allotment, thus constituting a threat to them. i “Is not an honourable peace better than war?” Senator Reed asked. “Yes sir,” replied Admiral Pringle. “Well, is it not obvious _ that everyone had to make compromises in London and would you rather have seen the Conference fail than make a concession?” Senator Reed asked. _ _ , Further cross-examining Admiral Pringle, Senator Reed asked: "Did you know that Australia and New Zealand threatened not only to refuse to sign the treaty giving us 21 Sin. gun cruisers, but to build some Sin. cruisers of their own?” Admiral Pringle replied that he was opposed to the cruiser reduction, but finally conceded under Senator Reed’s persistent questioning that “it was a very successful piece of negotiating on the part of the United States delegation.” It is understod that Mr H. L. Stimson, Secretary of . State, has agreed tentatively to an exchange of notes with Britain and Japan to clarify Article 19 of the treaty. In answer to a senatorial objection he said that under the article Britain could scrap her 6in. gun cruisers and begin building Bin. gun replacements, provided only that the latter were not completed until the day after the treaty expired in 1936.

MR FENTON IN REPLY

WHAT DOMINIONS BALKED AT.

(Rec. 10.40 p.m.) Winnepeg, May 22. “Australia does not desire to embark on any competitive naval building programme,” said Mr J. E. Fenton, Australian Minister of Customs, who is en route to Australia from the London Naval Conference, in commenting upon the remarks by Senator Reed at Washington. ' Continuing, Mr Fenton said that what Australia and New Zealand balked at at the Naval Conference was the cruiser building programme of the United States. CONSERVATIVE MOTION ATTITUDE OF MR BALDWIN. London, May 21. Mr Baldwin refused to associate himself with the naval motion on the ground that it would lead to a misrepresentation of the Conservative attitude on disarmament. The motion is likely to be withdrawn. It was previously reported that 82 Conservative members of the House of Commons, headed by Rear-Admiral Beamish, tabled a motion that Part 111 of the Naval, Treaty, dealing with cruisers, destroyers and submarines, is contrary to the interests of Britain and the Empire, and ought not to be ratified. MR BALDWIN’S MOTION. (Rec. 9.40 p.m.) London, May 22, In substitution of the motion of 82 Conservative members of the House of Commons, Mr Baldwin tabled an official motion that a select committee be appointed‘composed of 11 members of the House of Commons to examine and report on the proposals contained in the Naval Agreement with power to summon persons, papers and records.

BRITISH NAVY

PROGRAMME OF CONSTRUCTION.

NEW CRUISER AND DESTROYERS.

(British Official Wireless.) Rugby, May 21

The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr A. V. Alexander, stated in the House of Commons that orders had been given for work on a 6in gun cruiser Leander to be built at Devonport, and for two destroyers at Portsmouth. Tenders for the Leander and the two remaining destroyers to be built by contract were under consideration. It was proposed to proceed forthwith with the building of three submarines, two of approximately 650 tons each, and one of approximately 1800 tons. A considerable part of the 1929 naval programme had been cancelled. The submarines referred to were three of the si» authorized by Parliament last year. Regarding any further building programme, the Government must considw necessary replacement in accordance with the London Naval Treaty. He was unable to say when the full programme could be presented.

FEELING IN JAPAN

OPPOSITION % TO THE TREATY.

Kobe, May 21.

Except for one naval officer who committed hari-kari in the express train sleeper, the return of Admiral Takarabe and the naval Ministers from London passed off without tragedy. They stayed at Harbin for a few days while the Diet session was concluded in order to avoid meeting the legislators. Upon their arrival at Shimonoseki a patriot presented to them a dagger with a letter advising atonement by suicide, while denunciatory handbills were also distributed. A warm welcome, combined with the discretion of Admiral Kato, Chief of the Navy Staff, who strongly opposed the navy treaty, warded off further demonstrations.