Navies of the Powers

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 858, 30 December 1929, Page 9

Navies of the Powers

FRANCO-BRITISH DIFFICULTIES Prime Ministers to Meet SPAIN WANTS TO JOIN IN PARLEY United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Received 9 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. A MESSAGE from Paris states that the French Prime Minister, M. Tardieu, will confer with Mr. Ramsay MacDonald prior to the London Naval Conference, in the hope of reconciliating the French and British views on some of the problems. M. Albert Milhaud, an ex-Minister, writing in the “Ere Nouvelle,” opines that Great Britain has made up her mind to leave the American waters and the Pacific to the United States, on condition that Britain maintains supremacy in all the seas of Europe and en route to India and Australia.

The Chamber of Deputies voted large sums for naval and land defences. The former conform with a fixed programme, under which the ■whole navy will be rejuvenated by 1943.

Socialists and Communists challenged ' the Expenditure on frontier defences, contending that it was out of harmony with France’s pacific professions at Geneva and The Hague. M. Maginot, Minister of War, retorted that France would be mors willing Jo work for peace if it felt that the frontier was secure.

Following upon the exposition by M. Tardieu of his foreign policy, the Chamber of Deputies passed a vote of confidence in the Government by 342 votes to 17. The result is that M. Tardieu and M. Briand, Foreign Minister, will go to The Hague and London Conferences with the full authority of the Chamber. It is understood that General Primo de Rivera, Prime Minister of Spain, is negotiating to secure a seat at the Five Powers Naval Conference. He contends that Spain is entitled to it by her historical and geographical situation and her national importance, but more particularly by her interests in the Mediterranean. General de Rivera points out that Spain aspires to become an important sea Power—navally and commercially. FRANCE MAIN OBSTACLE HOPES FOR THREE-POWER AGREEMENT BREAKDOWN NOT INDICATED NEW YORK, Saturday. Tlie Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says the immediate reaction to the French memo-

randum was that unless the unexpected occurred, France would not sign any treaty for naval reduction or limitation in London. In the opinion of those best qualified to judge, France has so solidified her position on naval disarmament that no loophole to permit her to be a party to a Five Powers’ agreement is offered. The prospects apparently are that a three, and possibly a four, Powers’ agreement will result from the London Conference. Tlie prospects of an agreement between the United States, Britain, Italy and Japan are regarded as rather promising, in view of the recent indications of Italy’s attitude and sympathy toward,, a new effort in the curtailment of naval strength. Although the French Note caused no further disappointment, it is taken for granted that the prior feeling of discouragement was not modified by .the knowledge of its contents. A three Powers’ naval armament agreement between Britain, Japan and the United States was today recommended by Mr. F. A. Britten, chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee ot the House of Representatives. In commenting on the French memorandum, he said the attitude of France should not result in a breakdown of the conference. The same opinion was advanced by Mr, J. V. McClintic (Democrat), of Oklahoma, a member of the Naval Affairs Committee. He said he saw no reason why, if France And Italy should withdraw from the conference, the remaining nations could not negotiate an agreement which would avoid offending the countries not participating in the conference. Referring to the portion of the French document stating that France had no objection to the other Powers making an agreement before a general scaling down of armaments by the League of Nations, Mr. Britten said the United States would not make an agreement subservient to subsequent action by the League.