“War Unthinkable with U.S.”

Evening Star, Issue 19787, 10 February 1928, Page 8

“War Unthinkable with U.S.”

New Arbitration Treaty

Monument to HaigPerfect Knight

(British Official News.) Press Association —By Wireless—Copyright,

RUGBY, February 8

Referring to the failure of the Three-Power Naval Conference at Cfeneva, Sir Austen Chamberlain said: “1 do not think we should be well advised to take up the subject again at. this moment, but I hope that the Governments who were represented at that conference and other Governments interested in, but not parties to it may learn from that failure, so that when the time comes to review the 'Washington Convention, and, as I hope, to make a new one, profiting by the lessons of tho past, we may succeed where last year we failed.” Concluding his reference to arbitration, he said;— I can scarcely speak of arbitration with the United States, in its narrow or larger sense without saying once again that whatever our position, and let us make it the best we can for the British Government, war with the United States is unthinkable, and the prospects for war with the United States have never been and will never be the basis of our policy in any field. Sir Austen further explained that there is a third reservation in the new treaty which prevents there being a complete “all in ” agreement for arbitration. The American Government found it necessary to reserve tho constitutional right of the Senate to be consulted on each individual reference to the Court ol Arbitration. Hint reservation was in the existing treaty, but it was a reservation of the widest scope and most important character. JJr A. To n son by (Labor, Brightside) regretted any appearance of damping down enthusiasm in favor of a general agreement for abitration.