NAVAL CONFERENCE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11131, 14 February 1930, Page 5

NAVAL CONFERENCE

STIMSON’S PROPOSALS

STATE DEPARTMENT REFUSES TO ANSWER CRITICISM.

SENATOR METCALFE’S SCHEME

AMERICA SHOULD PURCHASE

BRITAIN'S RODNEY !

United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright (Received r eb. E>, 7,-5 p.m.j WASHINGTON, r co. i2.

The State Department; l-uluses to answer the criticism of the American delegation in JUondou while the conference is in session, but the general feeling is expressed by Mr. Cotton, 'acting Secretary of State, who said: “Inis business of shooting at a piano jilayor is indoor sport which I deplore.” Ho added that he had received no communication from Mr. Stimson bearing upon tiro proposal that the United States should build a new super Dreadnought. He refused to comment further. Senator Metcalfe proposed that the United States should purchase the Rodney and charge the price against British debt to America.

PARITY PROBLEM. STRIKING VIEWS OF AMERICAN STATESMEN. United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright WASHINGTON, Feb. 12. Asking “Oh Parity, what crimes are to bo committed in tliy name:'” Senator Borah delivered his first public utterance on the London parley, attacking the American proposal to build another American battleship'. “.If parity can be had by reduction, 1 am for parity; it it can be gained only by the spending of millions on a kind of ships which never, in all human probability, will be used, then I feel no interest in parity. I see no justification ior our building, or claiming the right to build, one battleship. What possible justification ean there be for spending large sums of money build, ing more battleships—ships which some of the brightest m.inds .in the naval world have declared to be obsolete Can any reasonable person comtemplate the burden which all peoples are now carrying due to armaments, realise the weight now resting upon the taxpayers of every civilised country in the world, and then contemplate the useless waste of money in building a battleship in the name of parity ”

Commenting on Senator Borah s speech Representative Britten stated: “If an understanding is reached to allocate a now super-dread-nought to the United States, which will necessitate an outlay of approximately fifty million dollars, the vessel never would be built. Ibe understanding, according to Mr. Britten, would merely be by way of a so)> to American naval enthusiasts. He suggested that if the American delegation “is going to play into the hands of Britain, it would he as well for them to pack up their trunks and come home.” Air. Britten added that lie would also oppose the proposed construction of eleven six-inch gnu cruisers, since these suited British needs while the United States needs 10,000-ton cruisers with eight-inch guns. He called the American proposals “patchwork” anti said he was unable to understand how Mr. Stimson could put them forward, irresjwctive of preserving the balance in the American fleet. “Scrap the Rodney; that will settle flio propositions,” he ‘added.