REGULATION OF SNIPPING

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1934, Page 5

REGULATION OF SNIPPING

RESTRICTION OF TONNAGE COLD RECEPTION IN STATES PROPOSED WORLD TREATY CONSTERNATION IN EUROPE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 5.5 p.m. New York, Aug. 31. The American’s Washington correspondent declares that the Administration leaders to-day gave a frigid reception to Britain’s proposals for a world agreement on the reduction of merchant marine tonnages. Although the State Department merely admitted having received such a suggestion from Sir John Simon, British Foreign Secretary, high officials intimated there was little prospect of the country agreeing to any restrictions.

The officials believe America would be the loser by the adoption of any possible plan of limitation as America’s flotilla is dangerously inadequate, while Great Britain’s fleet is far larger than needed. In’is any horizontal or proportional tonnage cut would be detrimental to America.

An earlier message from London reported a statement in the News-Chron-icle that America had refused to attend the international shipping conference in London in October. This had caused consternation in European maritime circles and had led Sir John Simon to ask the leading mercantile Powers to exchange views on the restriction of tonnage. '

A prominent London shipowner states that if America persists in her refusal the conference is doomed, though France, Germany, Italy and Japan are willing to attend. It is felt that an AngloAmerican rapprochement would solve the whole problem, as the remainder of the world would conform with such action.