HEARST PRESS ASSAILS NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19033, 31 March 1930, Page 10

HEARST PRESS ASSAILS NAVAL CONFERENCE.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copj-right.) (Received March 31, 2.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 30. The newspapers give prominence to ‘an open letter to the Prime Minister, published in the Hearst Press of the United States, attacking Britain’s part in the Naval Conference, and asking Mr MacDonald whether he is the friend he pretends to be, or the slyest, trickiest diplomat that has come out of England since Balfour sank the American Navy at the 1922 Conference. The Foreign Office declines to indicate the feeling of official circles, but newspapers of every shade condemn the attack. The “Sunday Times” says: “Mr MacDonald has critics here on other issues, but he has the nation’s backing in his unwearying effort to achieve Conference success. The British public will agree that these strictures are reckless and blackguardly.” The “ Daily Express ” hopes that Mr MacDonald will not be deflected from his firmness against the embroilment of Britain irf Mediterranean conflicts by the gale that Hearst is blowing across the Atlantic. The “Daily Herald” says that the attack is the culmination of the Hearst Press attempt to check progress towards naval disarmament. “ Mr Hoover, not Mr Hearst, speaks for America.” The United States delegation refuses to comment.