NAVAL CONFERENCE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11127, 10 February 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

AMERICA’S NEEDS.

NOT PROVIDED FOlt IN OFFER I

Unhed Press Assn, by El. Tel. Oopyritrln

(Received Fob. -9, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. According to Chairman Hale; of the Senate Nava] Affairs Committee, Mr. Stimson’s offer in London “manifestly does not provide for our American naval needs.” Mr. Hale added that any such agreement would be fully threshed out in the Senate. He said that Mr. Stimson’s offer involved very radical changes in the position heretofore taken by the Navy Department and the Government.

“I realise fully tho difficulties which confront the American (lelc-S gation in London and 1 still hope an agreement will he reached giving each country the parity it de-. mands and, at the, same tune, recognising American needs,” he concluded AMERICAN OPINION. United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright NEW YORK, F’eb. 6. In comment, Senator Borah saye: “I feel that Britain ought to ■scrap more of her cruisers, but I have faith in our delegation to bring about a reduction if possible.” Senator Allen called the Stiinson plan “admirable.” He emphasised its “openness, simplicity and absence of cunning.” Mr Britten, chairman of the House Naval Committee, expresses disappointment. He said: “Either the United States has been wrong for the last few years or else is wrong now. We had previously declared that small cruisers were little use to us. Now wje as good as propose to build 150,000 tons of them to bring us up tc parity with Britain. There is no parity if wo build only vessels wlieh are useful to England and useless to us.” TFI AT PAR TTY PR OB LEM. AMERICAN VIEWPOINT. Upited Press 'Absxi. by El. Tel. Copyrigbt (Received Feb. 9. 11.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. While a further reverberation on Air. Stimson’s cruiser statement is contained in the address to-day by Representative French, chairman of the House Naval Sub-committee, that it is satisfaeloiy ami calculated to inspire confidence in the conference, it is interesting to note the varied reactions here to the British statement. There is one point of view that, while Britain is to be commended for stating frankly and fully its programme, it would unnecessarily complicate the present conference it the considerations of the battleship position were now taken up. since there are enough and no limit to the unrestricted classes of warships. Another view is that Mr. Stimson is doubtlessly, drafting a plan for compensations as concerns the battleship proposals, and that Britain would lie required to reduce her battleship tonnage below America's to compenstae for the superiority of the Rodney and the Nelson and that the numerical bnttleshio paritv would not he a. parity at all. Another point of view Is that the United States may ask to be allowed to build at least one more 35,000-ton battleship, as another method of securing actual fighting strenth" parity ns well as numerical paritv.

JAPANESE AND STIMSON PROPOSAL. United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyricht (Received Feb. 9, 5 p.m.) TOKYO, Feb. S. Mr. Stimsou’s comprehensive proposal for disarmament is being widely and unfavorably discussed in tho vernacular papers. The authorities are reticent and non-committal, but it is evident that they consider it unacceptable owing to the failure to concede Japan seventy per cent.,- which she claimed as the irreducible, minimum, not merely as a bargaining point. ANGLO-A M Ell IC A N MOVE. FRENCH PRESS CRITICAL. United Pres# Ahrq. by El. Tel. Oopyricbi (Received Feb. 9. 5 p.m.) PARIS, Feb. 7. The Press is critical of tho latest Anglo-Amencan conference moves. Several papers suggest that Britain is aiming at the' maintenance of naval supremacy, which she cannot longer afford by getting a kind of parity with the United States, which the hitter’s people may not welcome. The campaign, against submarines is derided as academical and oratorical. NEW GERMAN VESSEL. VOTE MAY BE POSTPONED.United Preaa Aasn. by El. TuU'Copyright (Received Feb. 9, 5 p.m.) FERLIN, Feb. 8. The Government will probably postpone til) 1.931 the initial vote for the construction of the Erstaz Preusseu, partly owing to the necessity for economy and partly due to Socialist opposition based on a feeling that the expenditure is out of keeping with the disarmament discussions. BRITAIN’S DEFENCES. CONDITION AS T,O FURTHER NAVAL REDUCTIONS. United Press Assn. b» El. Tel. Copyright (Received Feb. 9, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 8. “When we approach further naval disarmament conferences, tlie additional reductions Britain might make must be governed entirely by the contribution of the military Powers, not the naval Powers,’’ said First Lord Alexander, addressing the 12th London regiment of territorials. “The navy,’’ he added, ‘is the principal defensive arm of the Empire and Britain cannot further reduce her sea power until she knows how far the others are prepared to meer her by reducing their land and air armaments.”