FRENCH NAVAL DEMANDS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18501, 24 February 1930, Page 9

FRENCH NAVAL DEMANDS.

Reviewed by London Conference. PRESS VIEWS OF IMPASSE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 22. Although the list of members of the new French Government which M. Camille Chautemps, Leader of the Socialist Radical Group, is forming, was uncompleted this morning, it is understood that M. Aristide Briand (Minister of Foreign Affairs) will return to the Londorf Naval Conference as head of the French delegation, in place of the ex-Premief (M. Andre Tardieu). His principal colleagues are expected to be M. Albert Sasraut, who attended the Washington Coitierence; M. Francois Pietri and M. Charles Danielou, who is president of the Briand group in the Chamber of Deputies. Although the conference stands adjourned until Wednesday, the experts are daily continuing their examination of the question of special ships not belonging to any clearly-defined category, and expect to be able to complete their report for the First Committee by the time the conference resumes. London Press Comment. Commenting on the conference, “The Times” to-day says: “The British and American memoranda made it clear that if those two Powers alone were concerned there would be little trouble in fixing programmes for the next five years which would substantially reduce the burden and menace of naval armaments and open up the way for further reductions In a future conference. But this is a five-Power conference, and what it has been set to achieve is a five-Power agreement to reduce the naval programmes of all five, and one capable of being made the basis of an all-round agreement at a general disarmament conference which it is proposed to summon as soon as the circumstances are favourable.

“A study of the various memoranda submitted shows that this is going to be an even more difficult matter than was expected, especially as some of the figures, if they were translated into actual tonnage, would involve a very considerable increase in the programmes contemplated by Great Britain and the United States.

“But while no Power can be expected to make any concession really imperilling its security, all the Powers may fairly be asked to consider whether an international agreement for five does not justify a greater readiness to reduce their armaments than some of them have yet shown, and whether either their security or their navies and ports will really be endangered by accepting compromises which, if they should prove unsatisfactory, can be reviewed at the next conference in 1936 in the light of the situation as it then presents itself. “Great Britain, by suspending work, on the Singapore Base and many drastic cuts in her constructive programme has already gone to an extreme length in the way of reduction. During the adjournment of the conference the other Powers might usefully ask themselves whether they cannot come some way in ! the same direction.” FRENCH DEMANDS STA^D. NO WATERING DOWN LIKELY. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON. February 22. When Mr Camille Chautemps composes his difficulties, not the least of which is the uncompromising unfriendliness of the Republicans, he is expected to entrust M. Briand with the mission of returning to London to lead the delegation at the Naval Conference. Thus it will not mean a new beginning, but the resumption of the threads of last week’s discussions.

Not one party or newspaper in France has ventured to suggest the watering down of the French demands, which, therefore, will be again the pivot upon which the deliberations will turn, with the will-o’-the-wisp guarantee idea dancing in the background. In this connection appears the first ray of hope of some form of palliative for French fears.

A highly-placed personage associated with the American delegation, while unequivocally rejecting the idea of signing any pact of Mediterranean security, said the idea of a consultative agreement not implying the obligation of action would possibly be discussed by America, if it would in any way help France to make more moderate claims. This could take the form of an addendum to the Kellogg Pact. AFTER THE CRISIS. NEW FRENCH DELEGATES. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) PARIS, February 22. M. Albert Sarrut, formerly a delegate to the Washington Conference, joins M. Briand in London. It is stated that M. Danielou, of the merchant marine, and M. Pietri, are also going to London.