NAVAL POLICY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 8 December 1927, Page 5

NAVAL POLICY

COOLIDGE’S STATEMENT NO CAUSE FOR BRITISH ANXIETY. NEEDS or NATIONAL DEFENCE. [British Official Wireless.) (Received 8, 11.30 a.m.) Bugby, Dec. 7. The part of President Coolidge’s annual message to Congress which attracts most attention in Britain is, naturally, the reference to the Geneva Naval Conference. “The Tinies” says, “President Coolidge’s announcement that any future treaty on limitation will, call on us for more ships ’ may seem to rule out any future conference in advance, but it need not cause anxiety or make the slightest difference to the naval policy of Great Britain. That policy is based on long experience of the vital needs of national defence. Its principles in no way contrasts with those which President Coolidge has laid down. It is for the Government and people of the United States to estimate {heir martlmc requirements. Wo can only consider our own. What has always been made perfectly clear is that we shall not dream of building in competition with the United States. Our needs cannot be determined by theirs.” NO COMPETITION. The “Daily Chronicle” says, “The question as to what constitutes adequate defence for America is not one with which we can safely concern ourselves. If wo had reason to doubt her peaceful intentions we could not be indifferent to it, but we have no shadow of reason for doubting them and can therefore accept for ourselves the principle laid down for America there shall bo no competition, that wo will build what wo need for defence and no more.”