“STRATFORD EVENING POST" THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1929. NAVAL LIMITATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 39, 21 February 1929, Page 4

“STRATFORD EVENING POST" THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1929. NAVAL LIMITATION.

rilF BRITISH Ambassador to Washington Sif Fsme Howard finding that l)i s statement hinting at the likelihood of Britain seeking another conference with America regarding naval limitation, has caused some misunderstanding, hastens .to explain that his expression of opinion was merely personal and not in any sense official. However, ho will have some difficulty in disassociating himself completely from his official capacity. His remark was quite at variance with tiio official statement issued by the British Foreign Office, which was to the effect that nothing had occurred to render another conference necessary. However, there is nothing of great importanet in the view expressed hy the Ambassador. There could not bo any objection to a further discussion on tho problem, and perhaps what lie intended to convey was a delicate hint, that it the new President had any desire to take the initiative in the matter it would not ho ill received in London. No doubt tho prospects of agreement between Britain and the United States on naval questions are better to-day than they were in 1922 at Washington, or in 1927 at Geneva. But there is a growing conviction at Homo that after all there is not very much to be gained by formal discussion of these matters. If the Americans decide to make their naval position impregnable?, nothing can prevent them from building the strongest fleet in the world- And if the majority of Americans believe that their political and commercial requirements necessitate the creation of a great fleet of at certain special character, no argument that British pacifists can produce is likely to deter them.