NAVAL RIVALRY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1929, Page 6

NAVAL RIVALRY

U.S.A. ATTITUDE,

United Press Association— By Electric

Telegraph—Copyrignt)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21

AVliat is considered a revival ol the effort-,, to bring Mr Wilbur, the Navy Secretary’s shipbuilding programme again into attention, is contained in a letter to the Naval Secretary irom Representative Black, .asking that the former should recommend to Mr Hoover. that the U.S.A. Fleet should be built, up to a parity with that o! .Great Britain.

Represenative Black insisted that such a programme "is requisite now. in view of the attitude of the British Foreign Office." Until there is a binding international code, he says, Britain’s superior licet represents a marauder of the prccivil.sed days. He adds: "We must, in' the interest of our own economic comfort, he able to oftset the challenge expressed to it by the British Navy."

Representative Britten (Chairman of the House Naval Committee) in a further discussion on the naval question, .said:—‘‘Personally, I agree with e.\Prime Minister Hughes in his declarai.on that every additional American warship is an added guarantee for the peace of the world, and a seeurity for the British Empire; but, for the sake of our respective taxpayers, we want this form of guarantee and our guarantee to bo• as small and as cheap as possible. Vll sensible people support an adequate police force, lmt they 'do' not -want to spend one dollar or one pound more than is necessary on their police. With common sense and frankness, some economy ... may be exercised regarding navies.” NEW YORK, Feb. 21. Mr Britten (chairman of the U.S.A. House Navi Committee) has announced lie has received a letter from Commander Kenworthy, the British Labour H.P.. in which the latter has expressed a hope for an early conference in London between Members of the U.S.A. Congress to discuss not only the subject of naval imitations, but also that of international law at sea. 'I ho letter added: ‘‘Meantime, .please inform your Iriends that we on this sale have no desire to interfere with, or influence, the construction of any warships that the elected representatives of the United States (Itsmi necessary within the limits nf the Washington Treaty."