The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1929. NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1929. NAVAL CONSTRUCTION.

Having ratified the Kellogg Pact fon the hotter establishment of peace, the United States Senate is now dealing with an appropriation Bill for the construction of fifteen cruisers as large as the terms of the Washington Treaty will permit. The proposal made hy the Navy Department, in the first place was for the construction of between seventy and eighty ships at a cost of nearly £150,090,(K10 hut there was such an outcry that the building programme was cut down to fifteen cruisers and oneaircraft carrier. That drastic reduction did not silence the critics, and among them arc some influential men. Dr Nicholas Butler, president of Columbia University, recently said that “to insist on naval expansion now, with the ink on the Paris Pact hardly dry, would be ridiculous and wicked, and a most complete confession of national insincerity.” Competitive naval building lie added would be a provocative scandal and in its practical aspects come down to rivalry between Great Britain and the United States, “a rivalry based not on hostility or general nerds hut simply on professional vanity.” Under the pressure of public opinion the Bill may bo further amended, for in his last message to Congress. delivered a few weeks ago. President Coolidge asked the Senate to eliminate tno -time clause. If this suggestion should bo adopted it would change the wide programme materially. As the Bill stands there would he five 100,009ton cruisers laid down this year, five more* in 1930, and five in 193 L Tho removal of tho time .chaise would convert the building programme into one “for necessary replacements.” and avoid the appearn.ee of competitive or provocative building. It remains to he seen what Congress will do, and some papers have pointed out that the legislature ofter disregards suggestions emanating from the Administration. Comment in British journals have been very restrained, then 1 being a willingness to concede that the United States aut'-orities have a right to' provide wiiat naval forces they consider 110cecesary for their purpose, but in France

o programme lms boon made tlie subject of bitter attacks. Tlie failure of Geneva naval conference lira d" ectod attention to the differences of opinion with regard to the limitation of the smaller craft, hut it is expected in America that Air Hoover, when he heroines President, will call . another conference to discuss this and allied questions. Certain it is that the nations, burdened with the. huge debts of "ar. would welcome some relief from the present expenditure on armaments, and it is to America that they look for a lead. The ponding decision of the Senate will afford an indictation of the intentions of that nation, and anvthinc that could lie regarded as a gesture in favour of further limitation of naval armaments would lie vorv welcome.