"A NAVAL HOLIDAY."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1924, 5 December 1913, Page 9

"A NAVAL HOLIDAY."

C'apfain Porslas's Approval,

GERMANY & MR CHURCHILL. PROPOSAL COLDLY* RECEIVED. Mr. Churchill's reiteration of his naval construttion. holiday proposal is stated by the London "MorliinjJ Post's" correspondent to have fallen. Hat in Berlin, except in circles where it has aroused indignation, and while the attitude- of the political parties towards the proposal is exactly as it was when tho idea was iirst mooted the belief is gaining ground that the First Lord is not acting in his capacity as a statesman, but k animated by "a desire to increase, hisjioisomil popularity. The "Kronsi_ Zeitung," tho leading organ of the Conservative-. Party, says that now, as in the spring, Mr. Churchill's proposal is not only unacceptable but not worthy of serious discussion. It wishes England to understand that Germany's motives in building a fleet have, nothing, to ; do with England, that .she builds ships in accordance with her own needs, "and if we accepted Mr, Churchill's proposal," it adds, "wo should thereby merely admit that Our naval programme was directed against England." .

Tho Conservative journal also reminds the British Minister that no alteration of Germany's naval programme can bo made without tho sanction «£ the Federal Council and of the Reichstag, and it expresses a decided opinion that neither legislative body wbiiUJ be inclined to agree to'any such 'alteration merely to serve Mr. Churchill's purposes. Tluj terms of Mr. Churchill's proposal tho "Kreuii Heitung" describes as. a "milk* maid's calculation," avid it declares that it is an insult to German intelligence to assume that such a. reckoning would he accepted. Mr. Churchill states, tho Conservative journal eontiiiiiCN, that lir accepting his propos.nl Gcrmauv would savo at least £6,1)00.000. "Wo'am extremely grateful to the British First Lord of the Admiralty for his anxiety cm the subject of German. hn.ancoK." it .writM, "lint wo jiiust inform him that, this is not only absolutely supcriluous, hat that we rogard it as an interference iii the internal affairs of the German Empire that wo would not, permit even from a Minister ot tin allied Monarchy, much less, therefore, from a , statesman of an entente opposed to us." Mr. Churchill, the "Ircuz, foiliiug" adds, in'view of tho highly-developed national "feclinu ' of the I'lnglishinan, might have felt this himself; "or are we," it iisks, "to assume that bu places Germany in this respect in the second classr" Mr. Churchill need not !io. concerned about Germany's _.M3 ( 000,'OOU, for "we can not only afford ■them"'bfft-"would 'without demur pay double tiie'siini for tlm construction. <*f battleships if such further outlay weroconsidered by the Government "to bo necessary." The "Kreuz Zr-ituiig" firmly believes that M.r. Churchill's proposal is dictated by thi> «mvicticm that .England cannot keep pace with Germany's normal construction, and it declares that the First Lord's periodical attempts to exert influence oil Germany's naval construction programme is isot: only fcttieally wrong, because it ,-tn undue interference in the domain .«? sovereignty of a foreign'country, hut is calculated again to arouse suspicions which tilt's Anglo-German ■understanding..negotiations are endeavouring to remove.

Susscstcd 'Holiday for Mr. Churchill. Count Rcventlew, writing; in tho nyruriiiri "Deutsche T«gcs::»ituiig," says that Mr;' ChiHchiH previously proposed a "naval holiday" because AngloGermnu rclaiioiis'xycrc kid,' and 'siig. gostod that the 'acceptance of his proposal would 'improve them, and that 'now ho makes tiro same proposal because relations are good. tie also declares that the construction of Corman battleships lias nothing to do with Anglo-German relations. li,i, too, says that Mr. Churchill need uot be- cmicsjHted about Gennatiy's financial ,'nifnirs, _ and adds that if, as it scorns, the' British Minister himself feels the necessity of saving money and thereby increasing his jjcisonal popularity GernsMy would not grudge linn his success if that eculd be accomplished, but "our interest in Mr. Chureliill's career docs not go so far that wo would upset our naval programme to assist him." These importunate proposals, adds Count Reventlow, create an unpleasant impression in Germany, and are, indeed, prejudicial to AitgloGeimau relations, lie proposes time Mr, Churchill should take a year's holiday from speech-makinij. if .Mr. Churchill said nothing for a year about international naval affairs Count Kevc-ntlow adds, Anglo-Gentian 'relations would very considerably improve. Captain von luilihveUcr, a retired naval ollicer, writing in the "JwikajanJsoiger," says it has become so obvious that tile German, naval programme is :i tlioni in the ilesh of England that tk'i ! i> can be no doubt that Germany is trending the right path. He declares Tliat if'such, proposals as Mr. Clnireiiiit makes are meant seriously they would; lie wade otherwise than in a speech in the counlrv, and expresses the opinion that Mr, Churchill's main object is to Infect public opinion in Germany with the. dangerous lata morgana of a "holtday vcar" in naval eonsti notion. He ■also points out that Iho British shipbuilding yard* are overburdened with work, iiitd that oven when new battleships are launched- England cannot lind crews tor them, so that a year's lieJkia}' would bo greatly appreciated _ Tiie Haoical "Vossisehc /cituiig'' is convinced that Mr. Churchill's real siilf was not at Manchester, otherwise bo must have drawn the attention of his alter ego So the impossibility of discussing the matter in s-.ich circumstances. His alter ego must, it. says, have whispered to 'him m a fneudly maimer that for such words oilier pl«ee» and other ways are chosen when it is desired that the other swo shall dea ! willi them officially.

Cajilaui' I'ersius, tho navs'l exj)t'i't of the "Tageblait," is iiraettOiilly alone in supporting Mr. Churchil!, t-hongh Jm adds that" while the idea is acwptablo ho does not see how a restriction ot naval armaments could be brought^abtmt in Gormiuiy against tho cpposition of the Navy I/cniiiio and its adherents, who are, moreover, alreadv agiivititig tor re new Navy Hill. , . The "Morgonposf- points out thai m file speech' deliccml m the Jlwehsliw om April 7 last, the Chancellor declared tlia'i, Mr. CliHrchill's proposal had not been taken m> by t;';e Hritish Parlianienti or bv Hritish public opinion, and that "we'wiil wui't'lfcr concrete prop-opals from the, British Govoroimuit." 'Hie j)emo-(«rat.ic organ Urges that the German Government should not wait fot wmcreto ]ii-o|)usiils, but r-lwuld gr«K|> the hand held out to it, and through Uli?.«rditiiiry diplomatic channels, request [ the British" Governmeiit to submit a precise plait for.a ."holiday ve.tr." Only thp pi'oci-so proposals roado by Mr. Cliurohill at Maiiclrostef are iygarde<.l on all hands at simply too ridiculous for discussion.